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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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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: ruler · racket · file · safe · kick · stock · hand · wake

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. file — a tool
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. stock — shares
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. kick — in football
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. hand — in cards
  14. wake — a trail
  15. stock — goods
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. hand — help
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. file — a line of people
  24. kick — with a leg

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