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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: safe · date · bowl · bulb · board · stock · can · racket

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. date — the fruit
  8. bulb — for light
  9. board — to get on
  10. can — a tin
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. bulb — for light
  14. stock — goods
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. stock — shares
  20. can — a tin
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. board — a committee
  24. safe — out of danger

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