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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: suit · wave · stock · rock · saw · content · root · arm

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. saw — the tool
  5. content — happy
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. stock — goods
  8. root — of a plant
  9. rock — music
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. suit — to fit
  13. suit — clothes
  14. content — the amount
  15. saw — the tool
  16. suit — in cards
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. root — of a word
  20. rock — a stone
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. root — the cause
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. stock — shares

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