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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: stock · bank · cabinet · ruler · staff · chest · stand · firm

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. chest — a box
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bank — for money
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. bank — for money
  8. chest — of your body
  9. firm — steady
  10. firm — decided
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. staff — employees
  13. stock — goods
  14. firm — a company
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. bank — of a river
  17. staff — employees
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. staff — a stick
  20. stand — to bear
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. stock — shares
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. ruler — for measuring

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