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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 124 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 party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. deal — to handle
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. stock — shares
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. rash — hasty
  9. land — to come down
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. land — ground
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stock — goods
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. date — the fruit
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. land — a country
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. temple — a place of worship

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