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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: race · bulb · bank · cue · fine · foot · stock · mate

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. stock — shares
  3. cue — a hint
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. mate — a friend
  6. mate — to breed
  7. bulb — for light
  8. cue — a signal
  9. foot — a measure
  10. bank — of a river
  11. fine — high quality
  12. race — the arms race
  13. cue — for pool
  14. fine — all right
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. bank — for money
  17. bulb — for light
  18. mate — a partner
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. race — a contest
  21. race — humankind
  22. stock — goods
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. stock — a soup base

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