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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: last · stock · degree · suit · bulb · fall · root · wave

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. root — of a word
  3. degree — temperature
  4. last — to go on
  5. last — finally
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. root — of a plant
  8. last — final
  9. degree — an amount
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bulb — for light
  14. degree — from a university
  15. suit — to fit
  16. fall — to drop
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. bulb — for light
  19. fall — to drop
  20. suit — in cards
  21. fall — the season
  22. root — the cause
  23. suit — clothes
  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