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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: stock · file · rush · race · fan · rock · wave · clip

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. file — a document
  3. rock — music
  4. rock — a stone
  5. clip — a video
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. race — humankind
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. race — the arms race
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. stock — shares
  13. race — a contest
  14. clip — for paper
  15. file — a line of people
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. file — a tool
  18. stock — goods
  19. clip — to cut
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. rush — hurry
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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