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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: mark · file · stand · degree · tube · fork · stock · wave

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. stock — goods
  3. fork — in a road
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. file — a tool
  8. stand — to bear
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. mark — a trace
  12. file — a line of people
  13. degree — temperature
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. degree — an amount
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. tube — the underground
  18. stock — shares
  19. mark — a grade
  20. file — a document
  21. degree — from a university
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. tube — a container

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