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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. rock — a stone
  3. bear — the animal
  4. clip — for paper
  5. clip — a video
  6. stock — shares
  7. bank — for money
  8. chip — to eat
  9. bank — for money
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. stock — goods
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. rock — music
  15. bear — the animal
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. chip — for betting
  19. clip — to cut
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. present — a gift
  22. bank — of a river
  23. present — the time now
  24. present — there

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