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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: bulb · cabinet · cap · pound · swing · patient · mate · stock

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. cap — a hat
  6. pound — a weight
  7. cap — a lid
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. mate — to breed
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. stock — goods
  14. swing — in golf
  15. mate — a partner
  16. mate — a friend
  17. swing — music
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. stock — shares
  20. bulb — for light
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. swing — to play on
  24. bulb — for light

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