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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: rash · stock · ruler · vault · drill · patient · bass · track

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. drill — army training
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. drill — a practice
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. bass — the fish
  9. rash — hasty
  10. track — a path
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bass — low music
  15. rash — a series
  16. track — to keep track
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. stock — shares
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. stock — goods
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. track — a song
  24. vault — a safe

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