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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: wave · stock · present · kick · bass · tube · cap · net

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. net — for catching
  3. tube — a container
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. bass — low music
  6. net — after costs
  7. stock — goods
  8. net — in sport
  9. present — there
  10. bass — the fish
  11. cap — of ice
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. present — a gift
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. cap — a hat
  17. tube — the underground
  18. kick — in football
  19. stock — shares
  20. present — the time now
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. cap — a lid
  24. bass — the instrument

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