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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 116 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: spring · object · fine · bulb · current · last · stock · dip

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. last — finally
  4. object — to protest
  5. bulb — for light
  6. dip — to sink
  7. spring — the season
  8. stock — shares
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. last — final
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. current — happening now
  13. fine — all right
  14. current — of water
  15. object — an aim
  16. last — to go on
  17. bulb — for light
  18. fine — high quality
  19. object — a thing
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. spring — a coil
  23. spring — of water
  24. current — electric

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