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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. charge — a price
  4. charge — in control
  5. ground — crushed
  6. stock — goods
  7. stock — shares
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. ground — a position
  12. ground — the earth
  13. charge — electricity
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. dip — to sink
  24. straw — a straw man

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