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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. firm — steady
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. stock — shares
  10. firm — decided
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. date — the fruit
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. toast — bread
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. saw — the tool
  17. firm — a company
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. stock — goods
  20. saw — the tool
  21. deal — to handle
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. pitcher — a jug

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