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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: lean · ruler · arm · mug · stock · shower · cabinet · chip

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. lean — to bend
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. shower — rain
  5. mug — to rob
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. shower — to wash
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. chip — for betting
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. chip — to eat
  14. lean — thin
  15. stock — shares
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. stock — goods
  20. mug — a cup
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. mug — a face
  24. chip — in a computer

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