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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: can · face · stock · land · roll · fan · bulb · nail

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. can — a tin
  3. land — ground
  4. stock — shares
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. face — part of the head
  7. roll — a list
  8. bulb — for light
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. can — a tin
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. land — a country
  14. roll — a cake
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. face — to confront
  18. face — to point toward
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. land — to come down
  23. bulb — for light
  24. can — to be able to

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