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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: cap · roll · rule · stock · cabinet · rush · row · plane

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. roll — a list
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. plane — a tool
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. rule — a law
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. row — to paddle
  12. stock — shares
  13. cap — a lid
  14. row — a line
  15. stock — goods
  16. cap — of ice
  17. cap — a hat
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. rule — government
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. roll — a cake
  24. cabinet — ministers

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