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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: file · suit · stock · rock · bulb · cabinet · pit · foot

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — for light
  4. rock — a stone
  5. file — a line of people
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. file — a document
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. suit — clothes
  12. pit — a hole
  13. stock — goods
  14. pit — in a race
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. stock — shares
  18. foot — a measure
  19. rock — music
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. file — a tool
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. suit — to fit
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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