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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 116 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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. staff — a stick
  4. staff — employees
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. deal — to handle
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. staff — employees
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. tear — to rip
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. stock — goods
  15. prune — to trim
  16. prune — to trim
  17. stock — shares
  18. ball — a great time
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. tear — from crying
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. tear — from crying
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. ruler — for measuring

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