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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. pitch — completely
  5. rash — a series
  6. rash — hasty
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. band — a ring
  9. net — after costs
  10. net — for catching
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. vault — a safe
  13. stock — shares
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. band — a music group
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. net — in sport
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. stock — goods
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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