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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. rash — a series
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. stock — goods
  6. firm — decided
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. mug — to rob
  9. bear — the animal
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. mug — a cup
  12. stock — shares
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. branch — a division
  15. firm — steady
  16. rash — hasty
  17. bear — the animal
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. firm — a company
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. mug — a face
  23. rule — government
  24. bear — to put up with

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