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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. can — a tin
  4. stock — goods
  5. rest — a break
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rest — what's left
  9. chip — to eat
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. can — a tin
  14. stock — shares
  15. chip — for betting
  16. rock — music
  17. can — to be able to
  18. rock — a stone

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