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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: bat · pass · ruler · root · firm · stock · mark · fall

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. fall — to drop
  3. fall — the season
  4. root — the cause
  5. root — of a word
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. firm — decided
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. stock — goods
  10. pass — a permit
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bat — the animal
  14. mark — a grade
  15. root — of a plant
  16. stock — shares
  17. firm — a company
  18. mark — a trace
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. firm — steady
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. bat — for baseball

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