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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. stock — shares
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. rush — hurry
  9. ground — crushed
  10. cap — a hat
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. date — the fruit
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. cap — a lid
  18. row — a line
  19. stock — goods
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. ground — the earth
  22. cap — of ice
  23. ground — a position
  24. row — a quarrel

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