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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. stock — shares
  5. court — of a king
  6. craft — boats
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. rest — what's left
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. court — for sport
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. rest — what's left
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. court — of law
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. stock — goods
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. rest — a break
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. craft — a skill
  24. arm — part of the body

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