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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. stock — shares
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. plane — a tool
  10. stock — goods
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. chair — a leader
  14. present — a gift
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. toast — bread
  20. present — the time now
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. present — there
  24. plane — in geometry

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