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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. charge — a price
  3. can — a tin
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. rule — a law
  7. stock — shares
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. deal — to handle
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. stock — goods
  14. rush — hurry
  15. can — to be able to
  16. can — a tin
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. charge — electricity
  19. charge — in control
  20. rule — government
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. ball — a great time
  24. ball — a round shape

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