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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 120 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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. wound — an injury
  4. foot — a measure
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. charge — in control
  7. bat — the animal
  8. snap — to click
  9. wound — an injury
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. charge — a price
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. stock — shares
  17. charge — electricity
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. stock — goods
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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