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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 120 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: can · bear · band · spell · mark · stock · cue · wave

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. cue — a hint
  3. bear — the animal
  4. mark — a trace
  5. spell — letters
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — to be able to
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. cue — a signal
  10. band — a music group
  11. bear — the animal
  12. can — a tin
  13. mark — a grade
  14. cue — for pool
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. band — a ring
  18. stock — goods
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. spell — magic
  22. spell — a short time
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  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