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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. mine — for digging
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. rule — government
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. club — a group
  12. stock — shares
  13. stock — goods
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. club — for dancing
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. prune — to trim
  19. stand — to bear
  20. rule — a law
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. prune — to trim
  24. club — for golf

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