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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: mouse · ruler · arm · wound · tube · saw · stock · net

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. net — for catching
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. stock — goods
  7. tube — the underground
  8. saw — the tool
  9. wound — an injury
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. saw — the tool
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. net — in sport
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. net — after costs
  19. stock — shares
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. wound — an injury

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