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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. stock — goods
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. scale — size or range
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. pop — soda
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. land — a country
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. land — to come down
  19. land — ground
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. pop — to visit
  22. scale — in music
  23. stock — shares
  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