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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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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: perch · ruler · stock · firm · cap · spring · foot · board

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. foot — a measure
  3. board — a committee
  4. firm — a company
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. cap — of ice
  7. cap — a lid
  8. spring — a coil
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. cap — a hat
  13. spring — of water
  14. firm — decided
  15. stock — shares
  16. firm — steady
  17. board — to get on
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. perch — the fish
  22. spring — the season
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. foot — part of the body

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