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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 116 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. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. capital — a city
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. suit — to fit
  5. stock — goods
  6. capital — money
  7. suit — clothes
  8. prune — to trim
  9. object — a thing
  10. band — a ring
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. stock — shares
  13. suit — in cards
  14. stem — to come from
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. object — an aim
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. band — a music group
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. prune — to trim
  23. object — to protest
  24. ruler — a monarch

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