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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: bay · rush · rule · rock · stock · spring · saw · stand

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. stand — to bear
  3. stock — goods
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. rock — a stone
  6. spring — a coil
  7. spring — the season
  8. saw — the tool
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. spring — of water
  14. rule — government
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. rock — music
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. stock — shares
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. rush — hurry
  23. saw — the tool
  24. rule — a law

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