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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: wave · bank · bulb · stock · can · swing · capital · pop

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bank — of a river
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. swing — music
  6. stock — shares
  7. capital — money
  8. can — to be able to
  9. capital — a city
  10. pop — soda
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. bulb — for light
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. bank — for money
  15. swing — to play on
  16. stock — goods
  17. pop — to visit
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. swing — in golf
  20. pop — music
  21. can — a tin
  22. bank — for money
  23. can — a tin
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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