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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: stem · net · stand · saw · stock · ruler · content · court

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. stock — goods
  5. court — for sport
  6. saw — the tool
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. court — of law
  11. content — happy
  12. saw — the tool
  13. content — the amount
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. net — after costs
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. court — of a king
  21. stem — to come from
  22. net — in sport
  23. stand — to bear
  24. stock — shares

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