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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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. capital — money
  3. stand — to bear
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. chip — to eat
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. rule — government
  15. stock — shares
  16. rule — a law
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. capital — a city
  22. chip — for betting
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. rule — to rule out

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