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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: land · cabinet · deal · cap · court · wound · stock · ruler

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. cap — a lid
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. stock — goods
  6. cap — a hat
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. court — for sport
  10. cap — of ice
  11. court — of a king
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. court — of law
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. stock — shares
  16. land — a country
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. wound — an injury
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. deal — to handle
  21. land — to come down
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. land — ground
  24. wound — an injury

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