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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 116 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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. stock — goods
  3. stock — shares
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. land — ground
  6. bank — for money
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. wax — to grow
  10. craft — boats
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. land — a country
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. craft — a skill
  17. land — to come down
  18. bank — of a river
  19. sharp — clever
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. rush — hurry
  24. bank — for money

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