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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 ________________ market has crashed.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bass — low music
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. track — a path
  7. spell — magic
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. spell — letters
  12. track — a song
  13. bass — the fish
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. spell — a short time
  16. stock — goods
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. track — to keep track
  19. mug — to rob
  20. mug — a face
  21. mug — a cup
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. leaves — to go away

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