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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 116 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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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: perch · stock · cabinet · bank · stick · rule · racket · race

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. stock — goods
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. rule — a law
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. race — a contest
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bank — of a river
  11. rule — government
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. race — humankind
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — for money
  19. perch — the fish
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. race — the arms race
  23. stock — shares
  24. cabinet — ministers

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