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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. game — wild animals
  10. mate — a partner
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. pound — a weight
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. mate — to breed
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. stock — goods
  19. game — a match
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. toast — bread
  22. mate — a friend
  23. stock — shares
  24. fan — to cool the air

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