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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: bound · bank · toast · bulb · drill · stock · net · root

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. bound — tied together
  3. toast — bread
  4. net — for catching
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. bulb — for light
  7. net — after costs
  8. net — in sport
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bank — for money
  11. bound — certain
  12. bank — for money
  13. drill — the tool
  14. bound — obliged
  15. root — of a plant
  16. stock — goods
  17. drill — army training
  18. root — the cause
  19. bulb — for light
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. root — of a word
  23. stock — shares
  24. bank — of a river

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