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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. spring — of water
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. pop — to visit
  7. stock — goods
  8. spring — a coil
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. cell — a phone
  11. cell — in biology
  12. fine — high quality
  13. spring — the season
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. fine — all right
  17. pop — music
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. stock — shares
  24. plane — a tool

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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