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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. kick — in football
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. stock — goods
  8. craft — a skill
  9. pit — a hole
  10. rock — music
  11. pit — in a race
  12. pop — music
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. band — a music group
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. pop — soda
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. band — a ring
  20. rock — a stone
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. stock — shares
  23. craft — boats
  24. pop — to visit

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