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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. stock — shares
  4. bear — the animal
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. court — of a king
  12. court — of law
  13. pit — in a race
  14. court — for sport
  15. pit — a hole
  16. bear — the animal
  17. rule — a law
  18. stock — goods
  19. fork — in a road
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. key — the most important part
  22. key — in music
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. key — for a lock

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