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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bound — tied together
  3. press — newspapers
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. pit — in a race
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. press — a publisher
  8. spell — magic
  9. bound — certain
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. stock — shares
  13. spell — letters
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. pit — a hole
  17. bound — obliged
  18. press — to push
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. mine — for digging
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bat — the animal
  23. spell — a short time
  24. stock — goods

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