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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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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: mine · bulb · rash · rule · stick · deal · stock · pound

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. rule — a law
  3. mine — for digging
  4. pound — a weight
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. rule — government
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. bulb — for light
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. deal — to handle
  16. bulb — for light
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. stock — shares
  19. stock — goods
  20. rash — a series
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. rash — hasty
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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