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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. rule — a law
  3. suit — to fit
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. rule — government
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. suit — in cards
  10. suit — clothes
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. stock — goods
  15. field — farmland
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. field — for sport
  18. deal — to handle
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. field — a subject
  21. prune — to trim
  22. prune — to trim
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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