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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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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: ruler · bay · stock · last · ball · chair · bear · bank

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  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. stock — a soup base
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — the animal
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. ball — a great time
  6. last — to go on
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. bank — for money
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. ball — a dance
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. stock — shares
  15. last — finally
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bank — for money
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. last — final
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. chair — a leader
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. bank — of a river
  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