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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: land · ball · hide · tube · can · stock · bulb · rush

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. bulb — for light
  4. ball — a dance
  5. tube — a container
  6. rush — hurry
  7. can — to be able to
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. land — to come down
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. can — a tin
  16. stock — goods
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. ball — a great time
  19. bulb — for light
  20. land — ground
  21. land — a country
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. can — a tin
  24. stock — shares

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