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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: wake · rush · roll · cabinet · band · pit · firm · stock

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. roll — a cake
  3. wake — a trail
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. band — a ring
  6. rush — hurry
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. band — a music group
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. stock — shares
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. stock — goods
  15. pit — in a race
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. pit — a hole
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. firm — a company
  20. firm — decided
  21. firm — steady
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. roll — a list
  24. stock — a soup base

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