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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 · spell · game · rush · saw · ruler · stick · net

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. stock — shares
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — the tool
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. spell — magic
  10. spell — letters
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. net — after costs
  15. net — for catching
  16. net — in sport
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. stock — goods
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. game — wild animals
  22. rush — hurry
  23. game — a match
  24. ruler — for measuring

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