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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: mouse · rash · cabinet · spell · firm · stand · roll · stock

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  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. roll — on a roll
  2. spell — a short time
  3. spell — magic
  4. firm — a company
  5. stand — to bear
  6. roll — a cake
  7. rash — a series
  8. firm — steady
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. firm — decided
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. stock — shares
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. spell — letters
  19. rash — hasty
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. stock — goods
  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