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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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. rule — government
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. craft — boats
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. hand — help
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. rule — a law
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. stock — goods
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. perch — the fish
  18. saw — the tool
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. stand — to bear
  21. saw — the tool
  22. craft — a skill
  23. stock — shares
  24. hand — in cards

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