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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. stock — goods
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. land — a country
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. craft — boats
  10. spring — of water
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. mark — a grade
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. land — ground
  15. spring — the season
  16. stock — shares
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. craft — a skill
  21. lie — to recline
  22. mark — a trace
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. land — to come down

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