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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 120 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
468
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: stick · cap · stock · board · game · pit · bulb · staff

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. bulb — for light
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. game — a match
  7. game — wild animals
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bulb — for light
  10. stock — goods
  11. cap — of ice
  12. cap — a hat
  13. pit — in a race
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. board — a committee
  17. cap — a lid
  18. pit — a hole
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. staff — a stick
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. staff — employees
  23. board — to get on
  24. staff — employees

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