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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: pit · wake · rock · stock · saw · roll · ruler · kick

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. stock — shares
  3. rock — a stone
  4. pit — a hole
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. saw — the tool
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. pit — in a race
  11. kick — in football
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. stock — goods
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. roll — a list
  19. roll — a cake
  20. wake — a trail
  21. saw — the tool
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. rock — music
  24. ruler — a monarch

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