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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: can · fall · stand · wave · plane · wound · stem · stock

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. stock — shares
  3. plane — a tool
  4. fall — to drop
  5. stand — to bear
  6. wound — an injury
  7. stock — goods
  8. stem — to come from
  9. fall — to drop
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. can — a tin
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. can — a tin
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. can — to be able to
  22. wound — an injury
  23. fall — the season
  24. stand — for spectators

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