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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: tube · cap · spell · stock · board · bulb · wave · foot

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. bulb — for light
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. board — a committee
  5. stock — shares
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. cap — a hat
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. stock — goods
  12. spell — magic
  13. spell — a short time
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. cap — a lid
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. cap — of ice
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. foot — a measure
  20. spell — letters
  21. bulb — for light
  22. tube — the underground
  23. tube — a container
  24. board — to get on

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