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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. wake — a trail
  4. stock — shares
  5. mark — a trace
  6. mark — a grade
  7. mate — to breed
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. mate — a friend
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. key — in music
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. stock — goods
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. key — the most important part
  18. mate — a partner
  19. key — for a lock
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. land — a country
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. land — ground
  24. snap — to click

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