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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. stock — goods
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. snap — to click
  5. present — a gift
  6. kick — in football
  7. degree — from a university
  8. stock — shares
  9. present — the time now
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. fine — all right
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. degree — an amount
  20. fine — high quality
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. degree — temperature
  23. present — there
  24. bear — 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