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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.

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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: wave · board · pop · date · pass · stock · rock · fall

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. pass — a permit
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. fall — the season
  6. stock — shares
  7. rock — a stone
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. pop — soda
  10. board — to get on
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. pop — to visit
  14. board — a committee
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. stock — goods
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. rock — music
  19. date — the fruit
  20. fall — to drop
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. fall — to drop

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