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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: wake · stock · content · rule · bulb · fan · racket · stem

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. stock — shares
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. rule — government
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. stem — to come from
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. stock — goods
  14. content — happy
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. wake — a trail
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — for light
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. rule — a law

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