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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. present — there
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. craft — boats
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. present — the time now
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. sharp — clever
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. rule — a law
  13. rule — government
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. stock — goods
  17. craft — a skill
  18. stock — shares
  19. key — for a lock
  20. key — in music
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. key — the most important part
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. fan — a supporter

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