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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — the animal
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. wind — moving air
  5. stock — goods
  6. wind — moving air
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. board — to get on
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. shower — rain
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. lean — to bend
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. board — a committee
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. shower — to wash
  18. stock — shares
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. lean — thin
  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