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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · ruler · bear · stock · stand · fall · fine · key

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. stock — goods
  3. fine — high quality
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. bear — the animal
  6. fall — the season
  7. ground — a position
  8. key — the most important part
  9. stand — to bear
  10. fall — to drop
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. key — in music
  14. ground — crushed
  15. bear — the animal
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. fall — to drop
  19. ground — the earth
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. key — for a lock
  24. stock — shares

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