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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. firm — steady
  3. present — the time now
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. stock — shares
  6. chest — a box
  7. chest — of your body
  8. present — a gift
  9. stock — goods
  10. rule — a law
  11. present — there
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. rule — government
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. chest — of your body
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. firm — a company
  20. can — to be able to
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. can — a tin
  23. snap — to click
  24. firm — decided

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