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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. bound — obliged
  4. pit — in a race
  5. date — the fruit
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. rule — a law
  9. mug — to rob
  10. rule — government
  11. mug — a face
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. bound — certain
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. bound — tied together
  16. stock — shares
  17. stock — goods
  18. pit — a hole

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