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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 120 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
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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 · can · rush · coach · ruler · lie · file · spell

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. spell — a short time
  6. can — to be able to
  7. stock — shares
  8. file — a document
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — to recline
  11. file — a line of people
  12. stock — goods
  13. spell — magic
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. spell — letters
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. can — a tin
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. can — a tin
  23. file — a tool
  24. rush — a thrill

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