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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. firm — a company
  6. ground — a position
  7. file — a tool
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. firm — decided
  10. wound — an injury
  11. plane — a tool
  12. firm — steady
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. ground — crushed
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. file — a line of people
  17. file — a document
  18. ground — the earth
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. stock — shares
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. stock — goods
  23. chair — a leader
  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