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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. firm — steady
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. face — to confront
  5. rule — government
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. face — part of the head
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. firm — decided
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. fine — all right
  13. stock — goods
  14. face — to point toward
  15. rule — a law
  16. stock — shares
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. firm — a company

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