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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 116 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: coach · rush · stock · fall · mug · ruler · fan · land

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. rush — hurry
  4. fall — to drop
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. land — a country
  7. fall — to drop
  8. mug — a face
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. land — ground
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. stock — shares
  15. fall — the season
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. land — to come down
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. stock — goods
  24. mug — a cup

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