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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 116 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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. rule — a law
  4. stock — shares
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. rush — hurry
  8. stock — goods
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. club — for dancing
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. club — a group
  15. drill — a practice
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. rule — government
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. drill — army training
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. pass — a permit
  24. drill — the tool

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