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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. fall — to drop
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. pound — a weight
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. stock — goods
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. stock — shares
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — to recline
  22. fall — to drop
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. fall — the season

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