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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. rule — a law
  3. rule — government
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. stock — shares
  8. pit — a hole
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. land — ground
  11. land — a country
  12. key — the most important part
  13. land — to come down
  14. lean — to bend
  15. rock — a stone
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. key — in music
  18. rock — music
  19. key — for a lock
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. stock — goods
  22. pit — in a race
  23. lean — thin
  24. lean — to rest against

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