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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 · chest · pop · lean · ruler · can · rock · spell

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. spell — a short time
  4. lean — to bend
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. pop — to visit
  7. chest — a box
  8. chest — of your body
  9. can — a tin
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. can — a tin
  12. rock — music
  13. spell — magic
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. lean — thin
  16. stock — goods
  17. can — to be able to
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. rock — a stone
  20. pop — soda
  21. stock — shares
  22. pop — music
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. spell — letters

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