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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. can — a tin
  3. bound — certain
  4. rule — a law
  5. rule — government
  6. stock — shares
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. can — to be able to
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. stock — goods
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. bound — obliged
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. track — a path
  16. track — a song
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. track — to keep track
  19. fork — in a road
  20. can — a tin
  21. bound — tied together
  22. craft — boats
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. craft — a skill

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