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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · sharp · kick · pound · chair · plane · temple

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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. sharp — with an edge
  4. stock — shares
  5. stock — goods
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. plane — a tool
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. pound — a weight
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. kick — in football
  19. chair — a leader
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. sharp — clever

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