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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. lean — thin
  6. tube — the underground
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. pop — soda
  9. lean — to bend
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. mark — a grade
  12. fine — all right
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. stock — shares
  17. mark — a trace
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. fine — high quality
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. pop — to visit
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. stock — goods
  24. pop — music

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