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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: land · cold · ruler · last · stock · tube · cap · cabinet

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. stock — shares
  3. tube — the underground
  4. last — finally
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. cap — of ice
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. land — a country
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. cap — a lid
  13. cold — not warm
  14. tube — a container
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. last — to go on
  17. land — ground
  18. land — to come down
  19. cold — an illness
  20. last — final
  21. cap — a hat
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. stock — goods

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