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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 120 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: bound · rock · ruler · spell · stock · can · firm · capital

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  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. stock — goods
  2. spell — letters
  3. spell — magic
  4. can — a tin
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. bound — tied together
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. capital — a city
  11. can — to be able to
  12. bound — obliged
  13. can — a tin
  14. spell — a short time
  15. stock — shares
  16. firm — a company
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. bound — certain
  19. rock — music
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. firm — steady
  22. firm — decided
  23. capital — money
  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