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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: ruler · rule · stand · plane · stock · toast

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. rule — a law
  6. stock — shares
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. rule — government
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. plane — a tool
  13. stand — to bear
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. toast — bread
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. stock — goods

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