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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: current · bound · bulb · chest · stock · coach · dip · pass

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. stock — goods
  3. bulb — for light
  4. chest — a box
  5. chest — of your body
  6. bound — certain
  7. chest — of your body
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. current — happening now
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. dip — to sink
  14. bound — obliged
  15. bound — tied together
  16. current — electric
  17. stock — shares
  18. current — of water
  19. pass — a permit
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. bulb — for light
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. pass — to succeed

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