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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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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: bulb · pit · pound · stem · cue · stock · bass · track

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. bass — low music
  3. track — to keep track
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. track — a path
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. bulb — for light
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. pit — a hole
  10. stem — to come from
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. bass — the fish
  13. cue — a hint
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. bulb — for light
  16. stock — shares
  17. stock — goods
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. pit — in a race
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. cue — a signal
  22. track — a song
  23. cue — for pool
  24. pound — a weight

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