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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. club — a group
  5. rash — a series
  6. stock — goods
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. capital — money
  9. club — for dancing
  10. capital — a city
  11. cell — in biology
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. rash — hasty
  14. cell — a phone
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. stock — shares
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. club — for golf

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