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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: patient · track · band · scale · foot · stock · rash · bulb

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. bulb — for light
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. track — a song
  5. bulb — for light
  6. foot — a measure
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. band — a ring
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. stock — goods
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. scale — size or range
  18. track — a path
  19. rash — a series
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. rash — hasty
  22. scale — in music
  23. stock — shares
  24. track — to keep track

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