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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. stock — shares
  6. stock — goods
  7. track — a path
  8. scale — size or range
  9. bear — the animal
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. track — to keep track
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. scale — in music
  20. fork — in a road
  21. track — a song
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bear — the animal
  24. ruler — a monarch

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