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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. court — of law
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. mark — a trace
  6. court — of a king
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. stem — to come from
  9. stock — shares
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. mark — a grade
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. tube — a container
  15. toast — bread
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. stock — goods
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. rule — a law
  20. court — for sport
  21. tube — the underground
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. rule — government
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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