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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bound — certain
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bound — tied together
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. firm — a company
  10. suit — in cards
  11. bank — for money
  12. stock — goods
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bank — for money
  16. firm — steady
  17. firm — decided
  18. stock — shares
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. bound — obliged
  21. race — humankind
  22. race — a contest
  23. race — the arms race
  24. bat — the animal

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