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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. rule — government
  6. court — of law
  7. key — in music
  8. wound — an injury
  9. stock — shares
  10. stock — goods
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. wound — an injury
  13. firm — steady
  14. court — of a king
  15. key — the most important part
  16. key — for a lock
  17. firm — decided
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. court — for sport
  21. rule — a law
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. firm — a company

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