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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. branch — a division
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. squash — the sport
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. pass — a permit
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. craft — boats
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. squash — to crush
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. object — a thing
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. stock — goods
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. vault — a safe
  20. craft — a skill
  21. object — to protest
  22. object — an aim
  23. stock — shares
  24. craft — a handicraft

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