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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. stand — to bear
  3. face — to point toward
  4. face — to confront
  5. stock — goods
  6. rule — government
  7. rock — music
  8. track — to keep track
  9. rule — a law
  10. rock — a stone
  11. track — a path
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. face — part of the head
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. swing — music
  16. net — in sport
  17. stock — shares
  18. swing — in golf
  19. track — a song
  20. net — after costs
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. net — for catching
  24. swing — to play on

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