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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. file — a tool
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. stock — goods
  7. land — to come down
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. land — a country
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. stock — shares
  16. vault — a safe
  17. file — a document
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. file — a line of people
  22. land — ground
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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