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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: bulb · bass · kick · plane · can · cue · stock · wind

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. bulb — for light
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. cue — a hint
  5. can — a tin
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. can — a tin
  10. stock — goods
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. kick — in football
  13. wind — moving air
  14. cue — for pool
  15. can — to be able to
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. plane — a tool
  19. stock — shares
  20. bass — the fish
  21. wind — moving air
  22. cue — a signal
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bass — low music

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