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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. firm — steady
  4. ball — a great time
  5. firm — a company
  6. stock — goods
  7. file — a tool
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. file — a line of people
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. cue — for pool
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. cue — a signal
  14. file — a document
  15. stock — shares
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ball — a dance
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. cue — a hint
  22. firm — decided
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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