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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 · rash · wave · firm · pop · stem · mouse · cabinet

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. stock — shares
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. stock — goods
  6. pop — soda
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. pop — to visit
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. firm — decided
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. rash — hasty
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. firm — a company
  18. firm — steady
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. stem — to come from
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. pop — music

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