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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. band — a ring
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. stock — goods
  13. stock — shares
  14. last — to go on
  15. last — finally
  16. band — a music group
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. wake — a trail
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. last — final

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