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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: firm · stock · date · bay · chip · bark · toast · bulb

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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. stock — shares
  4. bulb — for light
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. bark — to shout
  9. toast — bread
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. firm — decided
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. firm — steady
  14. stock — goods
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. chip — to eat
  20. date — the fruit
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. firm — a company
  23. chip — for betting
  24. bay — a horse colour

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