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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. pitch — completely
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. present — the time now
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. present — a gift
  8. prune — to trim
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. prune — to trim
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. stock — goods
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. march — the month
  15. firm — steady
  16. present — there
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. firm — a company
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. march — music
  22. stock — shares
  23. firm — decided
  24. march — the month

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