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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. can — a tin
  3. spell — a short time
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. spell — magic
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. staff — employees
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. spell — letters
  10. stock — goods
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. can — a tin
  13. bank — for money
  14. stock — shares
  15. staff — a stick
  16. can — to be able to
  17. bank — of a river
  18. land — ground
  19. land — to come down
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. kick — in football
  22. bank — for money
  23. land — a country
  24. ruler — for measuring

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