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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: cabinet · fine · firm · ruler · stock · wound · fan · hand

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. firm — a company
  4. stock — goods
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. wound — an injury
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. fine — high quality
  10. hand — help
  11. firm — decided
  12. firm — steady
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fine — all right
  16. hand — in cards
  17. wound — an injury
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. stock — shares
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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