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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: bound · stock · rest · mark · mouse · land · staff · scale

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. bound — obliged
  3. mark — a grade
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bound — certain
  6. stock — shares
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. rest — a break
  10. staff — a stick
  11. land — to come down
  12. scale — in music
  13. mark — a trace
  14. scale — size or range
  15. staff — employees
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. staff — employees
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. rest — what's left
  22. bound — tied together
  23. land — ground
  24. stock — goods

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