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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: wind · deal · bay · stock · club · present · object · bulb

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. object — a thing
  3. deal — to handle
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bulb — for light
  6. object — an aim
  7. present — there
  8. club — for golf
  9. object — to protest
  10. wind — moving air
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. club — for dancing
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. stock — goods
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. present — the time now
  20. stock — shares
  21. club — a group
  22. present — a gift
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. bulb — for light

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