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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: suit · pit · craft · deal · stock · rule · cabinet · rash

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. suit — in cards
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. stock — shares
  6. suit — to fit
  7. rule — government
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. deal — to handle
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. pit — a hole
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. craft — boats
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. rule — a law
  18. suit — clothes
  19. pit — in a race
  20. rash — hasty
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. craft — a skill
  23. rash — a series
  24. deal — a big deal

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