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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. cue — for pool
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. chip — for betting
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. rock — a stone
  12. stock — shares
  13. cue — a signal
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. stock — goods
  16. cue — a hint
  17. chip — to eat
  18. pitch — completely

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