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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: wave · stock · present · kick · bass · tube

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. tube — the underground
  3. present — a gift
  4. present — the time now
  5. stock — shares
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. bass — the fish
  8. stock — goods
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. bass — low music
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. present — there
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. tube — a container
  18. kick — a thrill

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