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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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. rest — a break
  3. rest — what's left
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. rush — hurry
  6. track — a path
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rash — a series
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. ground — a position
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. rash — hasty
  14. track — a song
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. track — to keep track
  17. ground — the earth
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. stock — shares
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. ground — crushed

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