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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
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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: fan · stock · tube · wave · mouse · fine · bore · rush

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. stock — goods
  3. fine — all right
  4. stock — shares
  5. tube — the underground
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. fine — high quality
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. bore — to tire
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. tube — a container
  18. bore — to drill
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. rush — hurry
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bore — gave birth

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