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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 116 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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. kid — to tease
  5. face — to point toward
  6. tube — a container
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. file — a line of people
  9. file — a tool
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. tube — the underground
  12. face — to confront
  13. kid — child
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. stock — shares
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. face — part of the head
  20. pitch — completely
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. file — a document
  23. stock — goods
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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