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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. stock — goods
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. last — finally
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. perch — the fish
  11. last — to go on
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. last — final
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. stock — shares
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. chip — for betting
  18. fork — in a road
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. kick — in football
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. chip — to eat

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