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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.

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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 · fine · dip · stock · bass · capital · snap · bound

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. fine — high quality
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bass — the fish
  7. bound — certain
  8. bound — tied together
  9. fine — all right
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. stock — shares
  14. snap — to click
  15. capital — a city
  16. bound — obliged
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. bass — low music
  20. capital — money
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. stock — goods
  24. dip — to sink

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