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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stock · deal · lean · snap · club · ruler

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. snap — to click
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. club — a group
  6. deal — to handle
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. stock — goods
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. lean — to bend
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. club — for dancing
  17. stock — shares
  18. lean — thin

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