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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: fork · pass · spell · stock · pitcher · leaves · bulb · squash

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. spell — letters
  3. bulb — for light
  4. squash — the sport
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. spell — a short time
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. fork — in a road
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. squash — to crush
  14. stock — goods
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. spell — magic
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. bulb — for light
  19. pass — a permit
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. stock — shares
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. stock — a soup base

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