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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pound · ruler · file · stem · date · fine · stock · mug

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. file — a line of people
  3. mug — a cup
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. mug — to rob
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. stem — to come from
  9. fine — high quality
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. mug — a face
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. file — a tool
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. date — the fruit
  20. file — a document
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. pound — a weight
  23. stock — shares
  24. stock — goods

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