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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: stock · wave · root · mark · row · suit · drill · firm

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. root — of a plant
  4. root — the cause
  5. firm — a company
  6. stock — shares
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. firm — steady
  9. drill — a practice
  10. firm — decided
  11. suit — clothes
  12. stock — goods
  13. suit — in cards
  14. root — of a word
  15. suit — to fit
  16. drill — army training
  17. drill — the tool
  18. row — to paddle
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. mark — a trace
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. mark — a grade
  23. row — a line
  24. mark — to pay attention

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