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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: stock · fine · last · coach · tube · safe · ruler · lash

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. fine — high quality
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. tube — a container
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. last — finally
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. stock — shares
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. last — final
  18. stock — goods
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. tube — the underground
  23. fine — all right
  24. lash — an eyelash

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