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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. stock — shares
  4. club — for dancing
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. rush — hurry
  7. club — for golf
  8. club — a group
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. present — the time now
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. present — a gift
  18. saw — the tool
  19. stock — goods
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. bark — to shout
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. present — there

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