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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. stand — to bear
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. stock — goods
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. stock — shares
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. rule — government
  13. rule — a law
  14. prune — to trim
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. band — a music group
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. fork — in a road
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. band — a ring
  23. prune — to trim
  24. stand — on your feet

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