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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 120 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: cap · stock · prune · dip · file · game · bulb · race

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. bulb — for light
  3. file — a document
  4. race — the arms race
  5. prune — to trim
  6. dip — to sink
  7. race — a contest
  8. cap — a hat
  9. file — a line of people
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. cap — of ice
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. prune — to trim
  14. race — humankind
  15. stock — goods
  16. game — a match
  17. bulb — for light
  18. stock — shares
  19. game — wild animals
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. file — a tool
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. cap — a lid

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