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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: pit · track · chest · stock · bulb · rash · can · rock

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. rock — a stone
  3. bulb — for light
  4. pit — in a race
  5. chest — a box
  6. pit — a hole
  7. bulb — for light
  8. can — to be able to
  9. chest — of your body
  10. track — a song
  11. rock — music
  12. track — a path
  13. rash — hasty
  14. chest — of your body
  15. can — a tin
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. stock — goods
  18. can — a tin
  19. track — to keep track
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. rash — a series
  23. stock — shares
  24. bulb — of a plant

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