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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: can · rash · arm · mine · stock · bay · bulb · mouse

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. mine — for digging
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. stock — goods
  10. can — a tin
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. can — to be able to
  13. can — a tin
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — for light
  23. rash — hasty
  24. rash — a series

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