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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: rock · ruler · lean · root · mine · land · rush · stock

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. rock — a stone
  3. root — of a plant
  4. land — a country
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. root — the cause
  7. rock — music
  8. lean — to bend
  9. lean — thin
  10. stock — shares
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. rush — hurry
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. mine — for digging
  15. stock — goods
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. root — of a word
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. land — ground
  21. land — to come down
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. rush — a thrill

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