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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. stock — shares
  3. ground — a position
  4. ground — crushed
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. stock — goods
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. spell — a short time
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. wake — a trail
  13. spell — magic
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. rest — what's left
  18. spell — letters
  19. rest — a break
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. ground — the earth
  22. mark — a trace
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. rest — what's left

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