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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. lean — to bend
  6. bound — tied together
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. bound — certain
  9. stock — goods
  10. pop — soda
  11. stock — shares
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. pop — to visit
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. stand — to bear
  17. craft — boats
  18. pop — music
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. content — the amount
  21. craft — a skill
  22. bound — obliged
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. content — happy

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