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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: stock · mate · firm · mouse · bulb · patient · plane · squash

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. bulb — for light
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. firm — decided
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. plane — a tool
  12. stock — shares
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mate — a partner
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. stock — goods
  18. mate — a friend
  19. firm — steady
  20. mate — to breed
  21. squash — to crush
  22. squash — the sport
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. bulb — for light

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