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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: mug · lean · stock · wave · rest · bat · bowl · fine

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. mug — to rob
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. rest — what's left
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. lean — to bend
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. fine — high quality
  11. stock — goods
  12. stock — shares
  13. bat — the animal
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. rest — what's left
  18. lean — thin
  19. fine — all right
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. rest — a break
  22. mug — a face
  23. mug — a cup
  24. wave — of the sea

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