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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. present — the time now
  6. stock — goods
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. saw — the tool
  10. saw — the tool
  11. stock — shares
  12. chip — to eat
  13. lean — thin
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. rush — hurry
  18. chip — for betting
  19. present — a gift
  20. present — there
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. pitch — completely
  24. lean — to bend

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