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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: temple · object · fork · cap · rest · tube · wave · stock

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. cap — of ice
  3. object — an aim
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. fork — in a road
  6. stock — shares
  7. rest — what's left
  8. object — a thing
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. stock — goods
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. rest — a break
  17. object — to protest
  18. rest — what's left
  19. cap — a hat
  20. cap — a lid
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. tube — a container
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. wave — with your hand

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