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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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. dip — to sink
  3. mug — to rob
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. firm — steady
  7. stock — shares
  8. mug — a face
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. rule — a law
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. plane — a tool
  16. firm — a company
  17. craft — a skill
  18. firm — decided
  19. mug — a cup
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. craft — boats
  23. rule — government
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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