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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 120 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: mine · stick · calf · ruler · rush · stock · spell · rest

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. spell — a short time
  5. rest — what's left
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. stock — shares
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. rush — hurry
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. rest — what's left
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. rest — a break
  19. spell — letters
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. stock — goods
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. spell — magic

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