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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. rash — hasty
  3. rule — a law
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. march — the month
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. march — the month
  8. stock — goods
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. rock — a stone
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. deal — to handle
  13. mug — to rob
  14. rash — a series
  15. rock — music
  16. march — music
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. mug — a face
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. rule — government
  22. mug — a cup
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. stock — shares

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