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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: wave · perch · fall · bound · chip · mug · foot · stock

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  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. fall — to drop
  2. stock — goods
  3. fall — to drop
  4. stock — shares
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. chip — for betting
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. mug — to rob
  10. fall — the season
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. bound — tied together
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. chip — to eat
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. mug — a face
  19. mug — a cup
  20. foot — a measure
  21. bound — certain
  22. perch — the fish
  23. bound — obliged
  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