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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. charge — in control
  5. stock — shares
  6. stem — to come from
  7. game — a match
  8. game — wild animals
  9. stock — goods
  10. bank — for money
  11. bank — of a river
  12. pop — to visit
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. bank — for money
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. charge — a price
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. pop — soda
  19. pop — music
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. charge — electricity
  23. fork — in a road
  24. fork — a garden tool

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