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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. track — a song
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. cell — in biology
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. hand — in cards
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. track — to keep track
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. cell — a phone
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. pit — in a race
  14. pit — a hole
  15. track — a path
  16. stock — goods
  17. saw — the tool
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. hand — help
  20. stock — shares
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. cabinet — ministers

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