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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: bass · charge · stock · can · bulb · bowl · game · race

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  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. game — a kind of play
  2. can — a tin
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. stock — shares
  5. bass — low music
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. race — a contest
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. race — the arms race
  10. charge — a price
  11. bass — the fish
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. charge — in control
  14. game — a match
  15. game — wild animals
  16. bulb — for light
  17. can — a tin
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. race — humankind
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bulb — for light
  22. charge — electricity
  23. can — to be able to
  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