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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: toast · stock · rule · drill · racket · chair

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. drill — a practice
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. chair — a leader
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. stock — shares
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. drill — army training
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. rule — a law
  15. toast — bread
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. stock — goods
  18. drill — the tool

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