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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 · foot · bowl · temple · rash · pass · rush · bulb

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. rash — hasty
  4. foot — a measure
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. rash — a series
  16. bulb — for light
  17. pass — a permit
  18. stock — goods
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. stock — shares
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. bulb — for light

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