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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. press — a publisher
  3. key — the most important part
  4. kid — child
  5. last — to go on
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. scale — in music
  8. press — to push
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. last — finally
  11. stock — shares
  12. key — for a lock
  13. press — newspapers
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. kid — to tease
  16. bear — the animal
  17. key — in music
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. bear — the animal
  21. last — final
  22. stock — goods
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. scale — size or range

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