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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · bulb · wave · rash · mouse · board · sharp · pop

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. bulb — for light
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. bulb — for light
  10. pop — soda
  11. sharp — clever
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. rash — hasty
  14. board — to get on
  15. stock — shares
  16. rash — a series
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. stock — goods
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. pop — to visit
  24. board — a committee

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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