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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. rock — music
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. stock — shares
  11. stock — goods
  12. fine — all right
  13. drill — the tool
  14. fine — high quality
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. sharp — clever
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. stand — to bear
  19. drill — army training
  20. rock — a stone
  21. drill — a practice
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. ruler — for measuring

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