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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. pit — in a race
  3. club — for dancing
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. pit — a hole
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. spell — a short time
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. club — for golf
  11. spell — letters
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. mine — for digging
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. stock — goods
  16. spell — magic
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. stock — shares
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bulb — for light
  21. club — a group
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. bulb — for light
  24. mine — belonging to me

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