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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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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: rest · date · deal · stock · ruler · jam · firm · roll

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. firm — steady
  4. stock — shares
  5. rest — what's left
  6. date — the fruit
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. firm — decided
  12. roll — a list
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. stock — goods
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. roll — a cake
  17. deal — to handle
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. firm — a company
  21. rest — a break
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. date — on the calendar

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