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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: stock · bay · coach · toast · object · bulb · wake · stick

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. wake — a trail
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bulb — for light
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stock — goods
  11. object — an aim
  12. object — to protest
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. stock — shares
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. toast — bread
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. object — a thing

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