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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. kick — in football
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. capital — money
  6. wind — moving air
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. stock — goods
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. stock — shares
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. fork — in a road
  20. dip — to sink
  21. wind — moving air
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. sharp — clever
  24. capital — a city

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