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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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. tube — a container
  5. deal — to handle
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. hand — in cards
  8. track — a song
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. rule — a law
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. can — to be able to
  13. hand — help
  14. tube — the underground
  15. stock — shares
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. track — to keep track
  18. can — a tin
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. track — a path
  23. rule — government
  24. can — a tin

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