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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. track — to keep track
  4. stock — goods
  5. ball — a great time
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. stock — shares
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. bore — to tire
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. track — a song
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. bore — to drill
  16. rush — hurry
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. track — a path
  20. ball — a dance
  21. rule — a law
  22. rule — government
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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