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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stock — goods
  3. last — to go on
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. last — finally
  7. pit — a hole
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. last — final
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. ground — the earth
  13. shower — to wash
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. pit — in a race
  17. stock — shares
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. ground — a position
  22. shower — rain
  23. ground — crushed
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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