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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 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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. can — a tin
  4. march — music
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bank — for money
  7. cap — a lid
  8. stock — goods
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. march — the month
  13. cap — a hat
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bank — for money
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. stock — shares
  18. can — a tin
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. cap — of ice
  21. chip — to eat
  22. foot — a measure
  23. march — the month
  24. can — to be able to

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