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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. net — after costs
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. stock — goods
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. stock — shares
  11. net — for catching
  12. rule — government
  13. net — in sport
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. fork — in a road
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. fan — a supporter

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