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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: bat · stock · snap · ruler · firm · drill · net · arm

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. drill — the tool
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. firm — steady
  7. net — after costs
  8. firm — a company
  9. firm — decided
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. stock — goods
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. snap — to click
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. drill — army training
  17. bat — the animal
  18. net — for catching
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. drill — a practice
  21. net — in sport
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. stock — shares

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