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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 · branch · ground · stand · foot · bound · dip · ruler

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. ground — crushed
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. foot — a measure
  9. ground — the earth
  10. dip — to sink
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. bound — obliged
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. bound — tied together
  15. stand — to bear
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ground — a position
  21. bound — certain
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. branch — a division
  24. stock — shares

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