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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: staff · pit · jam · lean · foot · roll · stock · ruler

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. staff — a stick
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. pit — a hole
  5. staff — employees
  6. lean — thin
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. stock — shares
  9. pit — in a race
  10. foot — a measure
  11. staff — employees
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. lean — to bend
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. roll — a cake
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. roll — a list

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