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

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. fall — to drop
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. cue — a hint
  5. staff — employees
  6. rule — a law
  7. rule — government
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. cue — for pool
  10. staff — a stick
  11. cue — a signal
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. fall — to drop
  16. staff — employees
  17. fall — the season
  18. stock — shares

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