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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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. ball — a dance
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. stock — goods
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. ball — a great time
  10. rule — a law
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. kid — to tease
  14. board — a committee
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. kid — child
  17. board — to get on
  18. stock — shares
  19. rule — government
  20. mark — a grade
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. pass — a permit
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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