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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. stock — shares
  4. land — a country
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. kid — child
  7. land — to come down
  8. kid — to tease
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. mark — a grade
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. perch — the fish
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. land — ground
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stock — goods
  20. mark — a trace
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. bark — to shout
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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