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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. bound — certain
  4. stock — goods
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. file — a tool
  7. charge — electricity
  8. charge — a price
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. bound — tied together
  12. file — a line of people
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. pit — in a race
  15. rule — government
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — a tin
  19. file — a document
  20. can — to be able to
  21. pit — a hole
  22. rule — a law
  23. stock — shares
  24. charge — in control

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