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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 116 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: fall · wave · rash · last · stock · degree · can · lean

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. can — a tin
  3. rash — a series
  4. fall — to drop
  5. degree — an amount
  6. last — to go on
  7. stock — goods
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. can — a tin
  10. fall — the season
  11. lean — to bend
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. rash — hasty
  14. last — finally
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. last — final
  19. degree — from a university
  20. can — to be able to
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. lean — thin
  23. stock — shares
  24. fall — to drop

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