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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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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: cap · roll · wound · ruler · suit · stock · lean · jam

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. stock — shares
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. suit — clothes
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. wound — an injury
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. roll — a list
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. stock — goods
  13. cap — a hat
  14. cap — a lid
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. suit — to fit
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. wound — an injury
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. lean — to bend
  22. lean — thin
  23. cap — of ice
  24. roll — a cake

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