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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 116 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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. mug — to rob
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. stock — shares
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. cue — a hint
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. mug — a face
  16. cue — for pool
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. board — a committee
  20. board — to get on
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. bat — the animal
  23. cue — a signal
  24. stock — goods

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