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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. rule — a law
  5. degree — from a university
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. craft — boats
  9. stock — shares
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. stock — goods
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. pass — a permit
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. net — after costs
  19. craft — a skill
  20. net — in sport
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. degree — temperature
  23. degree — an amount
  24. rule — government

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