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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. rule — government
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. net — in sport
  6. stock — shares
  7. firm — decided
  8. net — for catching
  9. firm — steady
  10. rule — a law
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. net — after costs
  14. prune — to trim
  15. pop — to visit
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. pop — soda
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. prune — to trim
  20. stock — goods
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. firm — a company
  24. pop — music

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