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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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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: pit · file · object · wave · stock · deal · band · wake

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. object — an aim
  3. file — a document
  4. deal — to handle
  5. object — to protest
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. pit — in a race
  8. wake — a trail
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. band — a music group
  11. stock — goods
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. file — a line of people
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. file — a tool
  17. pit — a hole
  18. band — a ring
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. stock — shares
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. object — a thing
  24. deal — an agreement

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