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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. rule — a law
  6. craft — a skill
  7. stock — shares
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. rule — government
  10. stock — goods
  11. suit — to fit
  12. wound — an injury
  13. mug — a cup
  14. snap — to click
  15. suit — in cards
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. mug — to rob
  19. suit — clothes
  20. wound — an injury
  21. craft — boats
  22. sharp — clever
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. mug — a face

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