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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: stock · craft · cell · tube · wax · rule · ruler · safe

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. wax — to grow
  6. rule — a law
  7. craft — a skill
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. rule — government
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. tube — a container
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. stock — shares
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. cell — a phone
  18. cell — in biology
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. craft — boats
  23. stock — goods
  24. tube — the underground

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