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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: hand · stand · stock · fall · shower · bay · jam · ruler

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. stock — goods
  6. stock — shares
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. hand — in cards
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. stand — to bear
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. shower — to wash
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. shower — rain
  17. hand — help
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. fall — to drop
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. fall — to drop
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. fall — the season
  24. stock — a soup base

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