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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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. drill — army training
  4. rash — hasty
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. rash — a series
  8. firm — decided
  9. drill — the tool
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. firm — steady
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. fine — all right
  14. drill — a practice
  15. bat — the animal
  16. rule — a law
  17. rule — government
  18. plane — a tool
  19. firm — a company
  20. stock — shares
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. fine — high quality

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