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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. saw — the tool
  3. object — to protest
  4. saw — the tool
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. row — to paddle
  8. stock — shares
  9. scale — in music
  10. lean — to bend
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. lean — thin
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. row — a line
  18. object — a thing
  19. stock — goods
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. scale — size or range
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. object — an aim

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