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

Word bank: bear · pit · ruler · stock · bay · chair · suit · deal

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. pit — in a race
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. pit — a hole
  12. suit — in cards
  13. suit — to fit
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. deal — to handle
  18. stock — goods
  19. chair — a leader
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. suit — clothes
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. bear — the animal

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