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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. stock — shares
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. kid — to tease
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. mine — for digging
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. stock — goods
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. chip — for betting
  14. craft — a skill
  15. kid — child
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. suit — in cards
  19. chip — to eat
  20. suit — to fit
  21. craft — boats
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. suit — clothes

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