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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 · fine · can · bear · land · swing · rule · foot

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. can — a tin
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. can — to be able to
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. rule — government
  7. swing — music
  8. fine — high quality
  9. swing — to play on
  10. stock — goods
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. fine — all right
  13. stock — shares
  14. rule — a law
  15. can — a tin
  16. foot — a measure
  17. land — ground
  18. swing — in golf
  19. land — to come down
  20. bear — the animal
  21. land — a country
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. bear — the animal

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