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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  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. deal — to handle
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. stock — shares
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. bass — low music
  8. face — part of the head
  9. chair — a leader
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. fork — in a road
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. can — to be able to
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. can — a tin
  19. face — to point toward
  20. stock — goods
  21. face — to confront
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. can — a tin
  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