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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. squash — to crush
  4. squash — the sport
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bank — of a river
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bank — for money
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. pop — soda
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. bear — the animal
  13. rule — government
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. pop — music
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. pop — to visit
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. stock — shares
  22. stock — goods
  23. rule — a law
  24. bank — for money

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