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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. mark — a grade
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. stock — shares
  6. lean — thin
  7. cue — a hint
  8. stock — goods
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. shower — to wash
  11. band — a music group
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. cue — a signal
  15. mark — a trace
  16. foot — a measure
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. shower — rain
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. lean — to bend
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. band — a ring
  24. cue — for pool

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