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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 120 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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. stock — shares
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. mine — for digging
  10. lean — thin
  11. spell — letters
  12. stock — goods
  13. sharp — clever
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. spell — a short time
  18. lean — to bend
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. spell — magic
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. fan — a supporter

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