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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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. spring — the season
  5. spring — a coil
  6. kick — in football
  7. mug — a cup
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. branch — a division
  11. spring — of water
  12. chip — for betting
  13. wax — to grow
  14. mug — a face
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. chip — to eat
  17. mug — to rob
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. stock — shares
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. stock — a soup base

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