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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. club — a group
  3. pop — soda
  4. drill — a practice
  5. object — an aim
  6. pop — to visit
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. stock — goods
  9. pop — music
  10. object — to protest
  11. mark — a grade
  12. rule — government
  13. object — a thing
  14. craft — boats
  15. club — for golf
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. drill — the tool
  19. club — for dancing
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. stock — shares
  22. drill — army training
  23. craft — a skill
  24. rule — a law

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