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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 116 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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ball — a great time
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. stock — goods
  6. shower — rain
  7. ball — a dance
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. rash — a series
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. track — to keep track
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. shower — to wash
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. track — a song
  19. track — a path
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. stock — shares
  24. bowl — a football final

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