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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. game — a match
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. stem — to come from
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. game — wild animals
  12. mate — to breed
  13. stock — goods
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. stock — shares
  16. mate — a friend
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. sharp — clever
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. mate — a partner
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. scale — in music

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