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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.

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: spring · wave · row · pitch · toast · dip · stock · tube

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. spring — of water
  3. stock — goods
  4. spring — a coil
  5. toast — bread
  6. stock — shares
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. tube — a container
  12. row — a line
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. row — to paddle
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. pitch — completely
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. spring — the season
  22. dip — to sink
  23. tube — the underground
  24. stock — a soup base

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