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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 120 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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. band — a music group
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. stock — goods
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. cue — a hint
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. cue — for pool
  11. craft — a skill
  12. track — to keep track
  13. band — a ring
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. mine — for digging
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. track — a path
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. craft — boats
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. track — a song
  23. cue — a signal
  24. stock — shares

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