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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 116 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: stand · ruler · sharp · chip · ground · bank · stock · pop

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. ground — crushed
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. sharp — clever
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. stock — goods
  8. bank — for money
  9. pop — music
  10. pop — to visit
  11. ground — a position
  12. chip — to eat
  13. stand — to bear
  14. stock — shares
  15. pop — soda
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. chip — for betting
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. bank — for money
  21. ground — the earth
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. bank — of a river
  24. sharp — with an edge

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