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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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. fall — to drop
  3. bear — the animal
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. degree — from a university
  6. stock — goods
  7. firm — steady
  8. rule — a law
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. degree — an amount
  12. stock — shares
  13. bear — the animal
  14. fall — the season
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. rule — government
  17. firm — a company
  18. charge — in control
  19. charge — electricity
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. degree — temperature
  23. firm — decided
  24. charge — a price

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