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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 walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. suit — to fit
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. club — for dancing
  5. suit — clothes
  6. club — a group
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. suit — in cards
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. foot — a measure
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. chair — a leader
  15. stock — shares
  16. stock — goods
  17. file — a tool
  18. club — for golf
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. file — a document
  22. bark — to shout
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. chair — to sit on

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