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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. firm — a company
  3. mug — a cup
  4. net — for catching
  5. track — to keep track
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. track — a song
  8. rule — government
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. rule — a law
  12. net — after costs
  13. track — a path
  14. mug — to rob
  15. stock — shares
  16. firm — steady
  17. stock — goods
  18. sharp — clever
  19. mug — a face
  20. firm — decided
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. net — in sport
  23. wake — a trail
  24. sharp — with an edge

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