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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: deal · band · ground · stock · cap · rest · bear · rush

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. rest — what's left
  3. cap — of ice
  4. bear — the animal
  5. band — a ring
  6. rest — a break
  7. stock — goods
  8. bear — the animal
  9. stock — shares
  10. ground — crushed
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. rest — what's left
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. band — a music group
  16. ground — the earth
  17. cap — a hat
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. deal — to handle
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. ground — a position
  24. rush — hurry

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