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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. rule — government
  3. rule — a law
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — the tool
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. stock — goods
  10. suit — to fit
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. charge — in control
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. charge — a price
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. bass — low music
  18. suit — clothes
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. suit — in cards
  21. charge — electricity
  22. stock — shares
  23. bass — the fish
  24. hide — animal skin

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