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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: roll · stock · ruler · key · rest · track · board · rush

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. rest — a break
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. key — the most important part
  6. rest — what's left
  7. board — to get on
  8. stock — shares
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. rush — hurry
  11. board — a committee
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. stock — goods
  14. roll — a list
  15. roll — a cake
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. track — a path
  18. track — to keep track
  19. key — in music
  20. key — for a lock
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. rest — what's left
  24. track — a song

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