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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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. cap — a lid
  3. firm — steady
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. rule — a law
  7. firm — decided
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. cap — of ice
  10. board — to get on
  11. fork — in a road
  12. bear — the animal
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. stock — shares
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. rule — government
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. board — a committee
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. cap — a hat
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. firm — a company
  24. bear — the animal

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