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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. cap — a lid
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. cap — of ice
  6. chip — for betting
  7. stock — goods
  8. firm — steady
  9. court — of a king
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. pound — a weight
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. court — of law
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. firm — decided
  18. court — for sport
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. firm — a company
  21. stock — shares
  22. cap — a hat
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. chip — to eat

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