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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
468
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: bore · stock · wave · mine · ruler · press · mark · stand

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. stock — goods
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. mine — for digging
  5. bore — to drill
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. press — newspapers
  10. bore — to tire
  11. mark — a trace
  12. press — to push
  13. stand — to bear
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. mark — a grade
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. press — a publisher
  18. stock — shares
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. stock — a soup base

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