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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 120 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: root · stock · bulb · fine · wave · saw · race · wound

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. saw — the tool
  3. stock — shares
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. fine — all right
  6. saw — the tool
  7. root — the cause
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. race — humankind
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. bulb — for light
  14. race — the arms race
  15. root — of a plant
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. wound — an injury
  18. wound — an injury
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. fine — high quality
  21. root — of a word
  22. stock — goods
  23. race — a contest
  24. bulb — for light

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