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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 120 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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. ground — crushed
  5. chip — to eat
  6. ground — a position
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. ground — the earth
  9. stock — shares
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. press — to push
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. press — newspapers
  14. stock — goods
  15. craft — boats
  16. press — a publisher
  17. craft — a skill
  18. fan — a supporter

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