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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: stock · cabinet · tube · rock · safe · firm · suit · press

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. firm — steady
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. press — to push
  6. tube — the underground
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. suit — to fit
  9. firm — a company
  10. press — a publisher
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. press — newspapers
  14. suit — clothes
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. stock — goods
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. firm — decided
  19. stock — shares
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. rock — a stone
  23. tube — a container
  24. suit — in cards

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