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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. hand — help
  4. saw — the tool
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. stock — shares
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. saw — the tool
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. stock — goods
  13. rock — music
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. season — of the year
  16. hand — in cards
  17. season — in sport
  18. cap — of ice
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. cap — a hat
  23. cap — a lid
  24. hand — part of the body

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