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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. stock — shares
  5. stock — goods
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. craft — boats
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. bass — the fish
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. bass — low music
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. pass — a permit
  24. craft — a skill

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