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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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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: stock · content · stand · file · pound · ruler

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. stand — to bear
  6. pound — a weight
  7. file — a document
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. content — happy
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. file — a line of people
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. stock — shares
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. file — a tool
  18. content — the amount

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