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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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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: file · stock · calf · ruler · pop · foot · firm · last

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. last — finally
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. stock — goods
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. pop — music
  7. stock — shares
  8. pop — soda
  9. last — to go on
  10. last — final
  11. pop — to visit
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. file — a tool
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. file — a document
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. firm — a company
  22. firm — steady
  23. firm — decided
  24. foot — a measure

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