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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: rush · fall · ruler · pass · stock · bowl · sharp · straw

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. stock — goods
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. fall — to drop
  5. sharp — clever
  6. stock — shares
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. fall — the season
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. fall — to drop
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. pass — a permit
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. rush — hurry

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