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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. pound — a weight
  8. stock — shares
  9. foot — a measure
  10. stock — goods
  11. fork — in a road
  12. lean — to bend
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. lean — thin
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. foot — the bottom

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