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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. fine — all right
  3. fine — high quality
  4. stock — shares
  5. board — a committee
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. board — to get on
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. stock — goods
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. ball — a dance
  22. bark — to shout
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. ruler — for measuring

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