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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.

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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: fan · wave · rest · hand · cabinet · dip · rule · stock

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. hand — in cards
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. rest — a break
  7. rule — a law
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. rest — what's left
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. stock — shares
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. rest — what's left
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. rule — government
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. dip — to sink
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. hand — help
  24. fan — a supporter

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