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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mark · snap · wound · tube · present · stock · mate · bulb

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. present — a gift
  3. mark — a grade
  4. bulb — for light
  5. stock — shares
  6. present — the time now
  7. stock — goods
  8. mate — a friend
  9. tube — the underground
  10. mate — a partner
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. mate — to breed
  14. present — there
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. wound — an injury
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. mark — a trace
  20. tube — a container
  21. wound — an injury
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. snap — to click

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