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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: bulb · hide · march · pitcher · fan · rock · stock · track

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. stock — shares
  3. bulb — for light
  4. march — music
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. track — a song
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. rock — music
  11. track — a path
  12. march — the month
  13. march — the month
  14. track — to keep track
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. bulb — for light
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. stock — goods

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