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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: can · staff · stock · rush · pass · bay · drill · fall

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. staff — employees
  3. drill — army training
  4. fall — to drop
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. staff — a stick
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. can — to be able to
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. pass — a permit
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. can — a tin
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. drill — a practice
  15. rush — hurry
  16. stock — goods
  17. can — a tin
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. drill — the tool
  21. staff — employees
  22. fall — the season
  23. fall — to drop
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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