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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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. object — an aim
  4. stock — shares
  5. cap — of ice
  6. spring — the season
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. object — a thing
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. plane — a tool
  14. stock — goods
  15. season — of the year
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. season — in sport
  18. spring — a coil
  19. cap — a hat
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. object — to protest
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. cap — a lid
  24. fork — in a road

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