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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. stock — goods
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. key — the most important part
  6. branch — a division
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. key — in music
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. perch — the fish
  11. clip — for paper
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. clip — to cut
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. key — for a lock
  16. spring — of water
  17. spring — the season
  18. clip — a video
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. stock — shares
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. spring — a coil
  24. branch — of a tree

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