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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
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: game · bulb · stem · club · stick · can · stock · racket

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. club — for dancing
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. can — a tin
  7. club — a group
  8. can — a tin
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. bulb — for light
  11. stem — to come from
  12. club — for golf
  13. stock — goods
  14. stock — shares
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. can — to be able to
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. game — a match
  24. game — wild animals

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