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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. rest — a break
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. stock — shares
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rush — hurry
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. court — of law
  15. bass — the fish
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. bass — low music
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. court — for sport
  20. court — of a king
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. stock — goods
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. ruler — for measuring

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