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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 120 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: rule · stock · stick · club · ruler · calf

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. club — for dancing
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. stock — goods
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. club — for golf
  10. rule — a law
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. rule — government
  14. stock — shares
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. club — a group
  18. calf — a young animal

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