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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 ________________ market has crashed.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. swing — music
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. bound — certain
  7. bound — tied together
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. ball — a dance
  10. bound — obliged
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. rest — what's left
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. ball — a great time
  15. rest — a break
  16. stock — goods
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. rest — what's left
  19. swing — to play on
  20. rule — a law
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. rule — government
  23. swing — in golf
  24. ball — a round shape

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