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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 rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. kick — in football
  5. prune — to trim
  6. prune — to trim
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. file — a document
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. cap — a hat
  12. pop — soda
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. sharp — clever
  15. stock — goods
  16. cap — a lid
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. pop — music
  19. pop — to visit
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. cap — of ice
  23. file — a line of people
  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