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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: stock · bowl · ball · bulb · wake · staff · band · object

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. band — a ring
  3. staff — employees
  4. ball — a great time
  5. bulb — for light
  6. band — a music group
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. ball — a dance
  10. staff — employees
  11. stock — shares
  12. object — a thing
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. object — an aim
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bulb — for light
  18. wake — a trail
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. object — to protest
  24. staff — a stick

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