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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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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. foot — a measure
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. saw — the tool
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. ball — a dance
  9. can — to be able to
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. stock — shares
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. file — a tool
  15. saw — the tool
  16. file — a line of people
  17. can — a tin
  18. stock — goods
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. file — a document
  21. fork — in a road
  22. can — a tin
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. ball — a great time

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