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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: tube · stock · file · season · dip · craft · cabinet · pitcher

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. tube — a container
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. season — of the year
  8. file — a tool
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. file — a document
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. craft — boats
  13. stock — shares
  14. dip — to sink
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. tube — the underground
  19. craft — a skill
  20. file — a line of people
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. season — in sport
  24. stock — goods

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com