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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 · straw · stock · pitcher · bound · leaves · safe · ball

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. bound — tied together
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. stock — shares
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. bound — certain
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. ball — a great time
  15. stock — goods
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. bound — obliged
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. straw — dry grass

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