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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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. rush — hurry
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. present — there
  6. present — the time now
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. cell — a phone
  10. cell — in biology
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. lean — thin
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. can — to be able to
  17. present — a gift
  18. lean — to bend
  19. stock — shares
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. can — a tin
  22. deal — to handle
  23. can — a tin
  24. deal — an agreement

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