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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: rule · fall · jam · staff · degree · stock · safe · prune

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. degree — an amount
  7. fall — to drop
  8. degree — temperature
  9. prune — to trim
  10. staff — employees
  11. fall — to drop
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. prune — to trim
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. rule — a law
  17. degree — from a university
  18. fall — the season
  19. stock — goods
  20. staff — employees
  21. rule — government
  22. staff — a stick
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. safe — a strongbox

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