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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · wake · mark · file · cue · drill · calf

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. stock — goods
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. mark — a grade
  5. drill — the tool
  6. stock — shares
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. file — a tool
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. drill — a practice
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. file — a document
  14. wake — a trail
  15. cue — for pool
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. drill — army training
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. cue — a signal
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. file — a line of people
  22. cue — a hint
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. mark — a trace

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