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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. cap — a lid
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. row — a line
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. fine — all right
  9. fine — high quality
  10. rash — a series
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. stock — shares
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. stand — to bear
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. stock — goods
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. row — to paddle
  22. cap — a hat
  23. rash — hasty
  24. cap — of ice

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