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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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. stock — shares
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. stock — goods
  6. rash — hasty
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. stand — to bear
  9. vault — a safe
  10. board — to get on
  11. board — a committee
  12. chest — a box
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. rash — a series
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. chest — of your body
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. wake — a trail

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