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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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. swing — to play on
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. stock — shares
  8. firm — a company
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. rule — government
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. charge — a price
  14. charge — electricity
  15. charge — in control
  16. firm — decided
  17. firm — steady
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. swing — music
  20. swing — in golf
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. rule — a law
  23. bat — the animal
  24. arm — a part of something

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