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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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Word bank
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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: key · pit · hide · ruler · cold · stock · sharp · firm

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. key — for a lock
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. stock — goods
  6. cold — not warm
  7. firm — steady
  8. firm — a company
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. stock — shares
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. key — the most important part
  14. cold — an illness
  15. sharp — clever
  16. pit — a hole
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. key — in music
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. firm — decided
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. pit — in a race

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