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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 116 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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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: bay · ruler · suit · stock · wind · race

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. race — humankind
  3. suit — to fit
  4. stock — goods
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. race — a contest
  8. suit — clothes
  9. suit — in cards
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. wind — moving air
  13. race — the arms race
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. wind — moving air
  18. stock — shares

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