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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.

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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: wave · present · wake · rush · bore · tube · stock · pound

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. pound — a weight
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. bore — to tire
  5. present — the time now
  6. stock — shares
  7. wake — a trail
  8. bore — to drill
  9. present — there
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. tube — a container
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. stock — goods
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. present — a gift
  22. rush — hurry
  23. tube — the underground
  24. stock — a soup base

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