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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 lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. race — a contest
  3. race — humankind
  4. fine — high quality
  5. prune — to trim
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. fine — all right
  8. suit — clothes
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. staff — a stick
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. staff — employees
  13. suit — to fit
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. prune — to trim
  18. race — the arms race
  19. suit — in cards
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. staff — employees
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. stock — goods
  24. stock — shares

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