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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: sharp · stand · bank · pass · rule · shower · fine · stock

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. shower — rain
  3. shower — to wash
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. bank — of a river
  6. fine — high quality
  7. stock — goods
  8. pass — a permit
  9. stock — shares
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. stand — to bear
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. fine — all right
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. rule — a law
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. bank — for money
  21. sharp — clever
  22. rule — government
  23. bank — for money
  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