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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. tube — the underground
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. present — there
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. tube — a container
  9. club — for dancing
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. roll — a cake
  12. roll — a list
  13. wake — a trail
  14. club — for golf
  15. stock — goods
  16. board — a committee
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. stock — shares
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. club — a group
  22. board — to get on
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. present — the time now

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