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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 116 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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. stock — goods
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. wound — an injury
  5. stock — shares
  6. swing — music
  7. last — to go on
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. bound — certain
  11. mug — a face
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bound — obliged
  15. wound — an injury
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. last — final
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. mug — to rob
  20. last — finally
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. swing — in golf
  23. bound — tied together
  24. mug — a cup

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