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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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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: race · safe · arm · branch · ruler · stock · stand · capital

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. stock — shares
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. stock — goods
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. race — the arms race
  13. race — humankind
  14. race — a contest
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. stand — to bear
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. capital — a city
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. branch — a division
  24. capital — money

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