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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. stock — goods
  3. rock — a stone
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. bound — tied together
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. bound — obliged
  8. suit — to fit
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. season — in sport
  13. deal — to handle
  14. season — of the year
  15. suit — clothes
  16. rule — government
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. rule — a law
  21. stock — shares
  22. rock — music
  23. bound — certain
  24. suit — in cards

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