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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  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. bound — certain
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. rule — a law
  7. squash — to crush
  8. bound — tied together
  9. stand — to bear
  10. spell — a short time
  11. pop — soda
  12. mate — to breed
  13. stock — shares
  14. spell — letters
  15. mate — a friend
  16. stock — goods
  17. pop — to visit
  18. mate — a partner
  19. bound — obliged
  20. squash — the sport
  21. spell — magic
  22. pop — music
  23. stand — for spectators
  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