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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. rest — a break
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. drill — army training
  6. stock — goods
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. capital — money
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — the animal
  12. capital — a city
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. stock — shares
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. cap — of ice
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. drill — the tool
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. cap — a hat
  21. drill — a practice
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rest — what's left
  24. cap — a lid

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