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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. stock — shares
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. press — a publisher
  7. can — a tin
  8. stock — goods
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. saw — the tool
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. land — a country
  13. press — to push
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. saw — the tool
  16. land — to come down
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. can — a tin
  19. press — newspapers
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. land — ground
  22. kick — in football
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. can — to be able to

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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