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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. squash — to crush
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. branch — a division
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. game — a match
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. pit — a hole
  14. charge — in control
  15. game — wild animals
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. stock — shares
  19. stock — goods
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. charge — a price
  22. pit — in a race
  23. squash — the sport
  24. charge — electricity

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