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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. court — of law
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. stock — goods
  7. charge — a price
  8. court — for sport
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. charge — in control
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. stock — shares
  14. court — of a king
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. bark — to shout
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. wake — a trail
  21. tube — a container
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. tube — the underground
  24. charge — electricity

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