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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: rush · capital · firm · saw · rash · stock · toast · bore

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. saw — the tool
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. toast — bread
  5. capital — money
  6. bore — to drill
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. saw — the tool
  9. bore — to tire
  10. firm — steady
  11. firm — a company
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. stock — goods
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. rash — a series
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. firm — decided
  20. rush — hurry
  21. capital — a city
  22. rash — hasty
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. stock — shares

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