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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 120 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: rest · stock · squash · stick · arm · rash · sharp · ruler

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. sharp — clever
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. rest — a break
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. stock — shares
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. rash — hasty
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. stock — goods
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. squash — to crush
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rest — what's left
  21. squash — the sport
  22. rash — a series
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. arm — part of the body

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