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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: trunk · mark · chip · arm · stock · cue · bulb · mine

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — for light
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. mine — for digging
  7. mark — a trace
  8. chip — to eat
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. chip — for betting
  13. stock — shares
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. cue — a signal
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. mark — a grade
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. cue — a hint
  24. stock — goods

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