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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: band · calf · stock · march · ruler · cabinet · cell · dip

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. band — a ring
  3. march — the month
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. stock — goods
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. band — a music group
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. cell — in biology
  14. march — music
  15. dip — to sink
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. march — the month
  23. stock — shares
  24. cell — a phone

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