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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: toast · pop · current · wake · chip · content · stock · bulb

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. wake — a trail
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. toast — bread
  8. pop — to visit
  9. pop — soda
  10. current — electric
  11. content — the amount
  12. current — happening now
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. stock — goods
  15. bulb — for light
  16. pop — music
  17. bulb — for light
  18. chip — for betting
  19. current — of water
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. chip — to eat
  23. content — happy
  24. stock — shares

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