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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. mate — a friend
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. spell — a short time
  10. stock — shares
  11. firm — steady
  12. spell — letters
  13. stock — goods
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. mate — a partner
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. firm — a company
  20. spell — magic
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. mate — to breed
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. fan — a supporter

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