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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: chair · pop · stock · rock · rush · ball · club · wave

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. club — for dancing
  4. rush — hurry
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. stock — shares
  8. club — a group
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. pop — to visit
  11. rock — music
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. chair — a leader
  14. ball — a dance
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. pop — soda
  17. rock — a stone
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. ball — a great time
  21. stock — goods
  22. club — for golf
  23. pop — music
  24. chair — a professorship

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