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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 116 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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. mine — for digging
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. fine — high quality
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. rule — a law
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. stock — shares
  13. craft — a skill
  14. current — of water
  15. rule — government
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. current — happening now
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. current — electric
  21. stock — goods
  22. craft — boats
  23. lie — to recline
  24. fine — all right

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