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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 116 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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. tube — the underground
  3. capital — a city
  4. capital — money
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. current — happening now
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. pass — a permit
  11. current — of water
  12. current — electric
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. stock — shares
  17. tube — a container
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. rule — a law
  20. rule — government
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. branch — a division
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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