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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. stock — shares
  7. stock — goods
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. wound — an injury
  10. root — of a word
  11. root — of a plant
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. root — the cause
  14. scale — size or range
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. march — the month
  17. wound — an injury
  18. march — music
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. scale — in music
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. march — the month

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