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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 120 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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. stem — to come from
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. mark — a grade
  8. deal — to handle
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. mark — a trace
  11. stock — goods
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. content — the amount
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. rule — government
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stock — shares
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. content — happy
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. rule — a law

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