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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. stock — goods
  5. pitch — completely
  6. stock — shares
  7. cap — of ice
  8. lean — thin
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. game — a match
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. game — wild animals
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. cap — a hat
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. cap — a lid
  20. rush — hurry
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. ruler — a monarch

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