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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. rule — a law
  3. pass — a permit
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. lie — to recline
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. drill — the tool
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. drill — army training
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. wound — an injury
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. drill — a practice
  18. stock — goods
  19. stock — shares
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. stem — to come from
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. rule — government

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