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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.

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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: squash · tear · bulb · can · stock · mouse · drill · pass

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. pass — a permit
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. tear — from crying
  5. drill — a practice
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. squash — the sport
  9. can — a tin
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. can — to be able to
  12. stock — goods
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. drill — army training
  16. stock — shares
  17. tear — from crying
  18. bulb — for light
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. tear — to rip
  21. bulb — for light
  22. can — a tin
  23. drill — the tool
  24. pass — to spend time

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