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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 · stand · cabinet · ruler · pitch · wound · safe · spring

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. spring — of water
  4. pitch — completely
  5. wound — an injury
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. stock — goods
  8. spring — the season
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. wound — an injury
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. spring — a coil
  16. stock — shares
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. stand — for spectators

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