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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: snap · rush · drill · cabinet · leaves · racket · wave · stock

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. rush — hurry
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. drill — army training
  16. drill — the tool
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. snap — to click
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. stock — shares
  24. stock — goods

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