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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: nail · ruler · perch · stock · tube · toast · wax · rock

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. stock — shares
  3. rock — music
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. tube — the underground
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. perch — the fish
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. tube — a container
  17. rock — a stone
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. stock — goods
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. wax — to grow
  24. toast — bread

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