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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 124 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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. stock — goods
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. toast — bread
  10. bear — the animal
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. spring — a coil
  16. spring — of water
  17. tube — the underground
  18. stock — shares
  19. tube — a container
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. spring — the season
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. bear — the animal

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