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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: wave · stock · net · mate · bank · rash · spell · sharp

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  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. net — for catching
  2. rash — hasty
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. spell — magic
  5. mate — a partner
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. rash — a series
  9. mate — a friend
  10. stock — goods
  11. stock — shares
  12. net — in sport
  13. spell — letters
  14. spell — a short time
  15. bank — for money
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. sharp — clever
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. net — after costs
  20. bank — for money
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. mate — to breed
  23. bank — of a river
  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