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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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. track — a path
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. rash — a series
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. rash — hasty
  11. march — the month
  12. rule — a law
  13. ball — a great time
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. stock — shares
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. rule — government
  18. ball — a dance
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. march — the month
  21. track — to keep track
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. march — music
  24. track — a song

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