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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 116 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: bay · wake · bulb · content · branch · row · object · stock

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. branch — a division
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. row — a line
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. wake — a trail
  7. row — to paddle
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. stock — goods
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. stock — shares
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. object — to protest
  14. object — a thing
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. object — an aim
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. content — the amount
  21. bulb — for light
  22. content — happy
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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