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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: cap · ruler · stock · shower · suit · fan · rule · leaves

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. shower — to wash
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. cap — a hat
  5. cap — a lid
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. cap — of ice
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. stock — shares
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. suit — clothes
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. shower — rain
  16. rule — a law
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. suit — in cards
  21. rule — government
  22. suit — to fit
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. stock — goods

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