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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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. file — a document
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. can — to be able to
  5. pit — a hole
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. can — a tin
  9. rule — a law
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. can — a tin
  13. rule — government
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. file — a line of people
  16. snap — to click
  17. toast — bread
  18. file — a tool
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. stock — shares
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. stock — goods
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. pit — in a race

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