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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: ground · stock · rule · bank · cabinet · tube · deal · toast

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. ground — a position
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. bank — for money
  7. stock — shares
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. tube — the underground
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. stock — goods
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. deal — to handle
  15. bank — of a river
  16. rule — government
  17. ground — crushed
  18. bank — for money
  19. ground — the earth
  20. toast — bread
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. rule — a law
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. tube — a container

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