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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 116 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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. face — to point toward
  3. rule — government
  4. face — to confront
  5. suit — to fit
  6. craft — boats
  7. rule — a law
  8. suit — in cards
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. shower — to wash
  12. craft — a skill
  13. land — to come down
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. land — ground
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. face — part of the head
  19. stock — shares
  20. shower — rain
  21. stock — goods
  22. suit — clothes
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. land — a country

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