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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: chair · stock · scale · firm · ruler · bay · bulb · arm

  1. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. stock — goods
  8. chair — a leader
  9. stock — shares
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — for light
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. firm — a company
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. firm — steady
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. firm — decided
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. scale — in music
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. scale — size or range
  24. scale — for weighing

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