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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: rash · snap · toast · chair · stock · racket · ruler · march

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. stock — goods
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. march — the month
  10. march — the month
  11. chair — a leader
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. toast — bread
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. rash — a series
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. stock — shares
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. march — music
  21. rash — hasty
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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