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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 120 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: mug · stock · ruler · object · root · suit · cell · wind

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. mug — a cup
  3. suit — clothes
  4. root — of a word
  5. suit — to fit
  6. mug — to rob
  7. cell — a phone
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. mug — a face
  10. object — to protest
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. cell — in biology
  13. suit — in cards
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. wind — moving air
  17. object — an aim
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. root — of a plant
  20. wind — moving air
  21. stock — goods
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. root — the cause
  24. object — a thing

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