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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: ruler · stock · rock · bowl · jam · toast · ball · row

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. rock — music
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. ball — a great time
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. stock — goods
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. ball — a dance
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. row — to paddle
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. rock — a stone
  20. stock — shares
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. row — a line
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. toast — bread

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