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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: lie · rule · stock · key · clip · march · mug · chair

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. march — the month
  5. clip — a video
  6. key — for a lock
  7. chair — a leader
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. rule — government
  10. mug — a face
  11. march — music
  12. lie — to recline
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. stock — goods
  15. key — the most important part
  16. key — in music
  17. march — the month
  18. stock — shares
  19. mug — to rob
  20. mug — a cup
  21. clip — to cut
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. clip — for paper

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