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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. spell — a short time
  3. rule — government
  4. stock — shares
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. spell — letters
  8. mate — to breed
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. prune — to trim
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. stock — goods
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. rule — a law
  16. rash — a series
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. prune — to trim
  20. rash — hasty
  21. spell — magic
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. mate — a friend
  24. mate — a partner

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