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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 ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. ball — a great time
  3. charge — electricity
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. stock — shares
  7. charge — in control
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. wound — an injury
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. wound — an injury
  17. charge — a price
  18. plane — a tool
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. ball — a dance
  21. stock — goods
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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