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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: stock · ball · stick · craft · bulb · charge · mine · saw

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. ball — a dance
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. charge — in control
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. craft — a skill
  10. ball — a great time
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. saw — the tool
  13. stock — goods
  14. mine — for digging
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. craft — boats
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. bulb — for light
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. stock — shares
  21. charge — a price
  22. saw — the tool
  23. charge — electricity
  24. craft — a handicraft

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