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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. ground — the earth
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. stock — shares
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ground — crushed
  8. lean — to bend
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. can — a tin
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. ground — a position
  18. can — to be able to
  19. lean — thin
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. stock — goods
  22. can — a tin
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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