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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: calf · scale · ruler · fine · pitcher · rest · stand · stock

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. fine — high quality
  3. stand — to bear
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. stock — goods
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. stock — shares
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. fine — all right
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. scale — in music
  13. scale — size or range
  14. rest — what's left
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. rest — what's left
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. fine — a penalty

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