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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 120 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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. rule — government
  3. sharp — clever
  4. fork — in a road
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. stock — goods
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. rule — a law
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. stock — shares
  24. leaves — lets stay

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