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

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. stock — shares
  4. rest — a break
  5. rock — a stone
  6. bank — for money
  7. rest — what's left
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. bank — for money
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. stock — goods
  12. bank — of a river
  13. prune — to trim
  14. rule — government
  15. rule — a law
  16. prune — to trim
  17. rock — music
  18. rest — what's left

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