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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. ground — crushed
  5. scale — size or range
  6. scale — in music
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. fall — the season
  14. bulb — for light
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. ground — the earth
  17. ground — a position
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. lie — to recline
  20. fall — to drop
  21. pass — a permit
  22. stock — goods
  23. bulb — for light
  24. fall — to drop

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