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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. shower — rain
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. foot — a measure
  7. stock — goods
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. wound — an injury
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. wound — an injury
  13. firm — decided
  14. press — newspapers
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. press — a publisher
  18. stock — shares
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. shower — to wash
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. press — to push
  23. firm — steady
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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