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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: bowl · kid · ruler · rush · stock · sharp · wave · leaves

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. sharp — clever
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. stock — goods
  8. rush — hurry
  9. kid — child
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. kid — to tease
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. stock — shares
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. leaves — lets stay

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