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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: tube · file · fine · land · ruler · rash · stock · shower

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. stock — shares
  3. land — to come down
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. file — a line of people
  6. stock — goods
  7. land — a country
  8. rash — a series
  9. file — a document
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. tube — a container
  12. shower — rain
  13. shower — to wash
  14. file — a tool
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. tube — the underground
  18. land — ground
  19. rash — hasty
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. fine — high quality
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. fine — all right
  24. rash — on the skin

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