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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
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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: cue · wave · stem · lash · stock · wake · wound · ball

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. ball — a dance
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. wound — an injury
  8. cue — a hint
  9. cue — a signal
  10. wake — a trail
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. ball — a great time
  13. stem — to come from
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. stock — goods
  17. cue — for pool
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. wound — an injury
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. stock — shares

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