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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: craft · lash · bank · pop · bulb · cue · stock · saw

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. pop — soda
  3. bulb — for light
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. bank — for money
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. pop — music
  8. saw — the tool
  9. stock — goods
  10. craft — boats
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. stock — shares
  14. craft — a skill
  15. cue — for pool
  16. bank — for money
  17. pop — to visit
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. bank — of a river
  20. saw — the tool
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. bulb — for light
  23. cue — a hint
  24. cue — a signal

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