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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: drill · net · mate · wave · content · cabinet · stock · tube

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. drill — a practice
  3. stock — shares
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. net — in sport
  6. content — happy
  7. stock — goods
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. net — after costs
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. content — the amount
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. drill — the tool
  16. tube — a container
  17. tube — the underground
  18. drill — army training
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. mate — to breed
  21. mate — a partner
  22. mate — a friend
  23. net — for catching
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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