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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 116 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: rest · bulb · squash · stock · leaves · wake · stick · cabinet

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. bulb — for light
  6. squash — to crush
  7. stock — goods
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. wake — a trail
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. stock — shares
  18. bulb — for light
  19. rest — what's left
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. squash — the sport
  23. rest — what's left
  24. rest — a break

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