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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. stock — shares
  5. rule — government
  6. roll — a cake
  7. object — an aim
  8. stock — goods
  9. mate — a partner
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. mate — to breed
  12. rule — a law
  13. mug — to rob
  14. object — to protest
  15. mate — a friend
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. mug — a cup
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. object — a thing
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. roll — a list
  24. mug — a face

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