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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: stock · wax · lie · ruler · bound · race · rock · mine

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. stock — goods
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. race — the arms race
  5. bound — certain
  6. stock — shares
  7. lie — to recline
  8. rock — music
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. race — humankind
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. race — a contest
  16. bound — obliged
  17. bound — tied together
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. mine — for digging
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. wax — to grow
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. rock — a stone

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