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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 · band · ruler · wave · pop · cabinet · leaves · bay

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. stock — shares
  5. band — a ring
  6. pop — soda
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. pop — music
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. band — a music group
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. pop — to visit
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. stock — goods
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. bay — a horse colour

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