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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. snap — to click
  3. stock — goods
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. rule — a law
  6. rule — government
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. mate — a partner
  11. mate — to breed
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. plane — a tool
  16. bore — to drill
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. mate — a friend
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. lie — to recline
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. bore — to tire

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