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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. chip — to eat
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. club — for golf
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. face — to confront
  7. pop — music
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. club — a group
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. stock — shares
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. chip — for betting
  16. pop — soda
  17. club — for dancing
  18. face — part of the head
  19. mine — for digging
  20. stock — goods
  21. pop — to visit
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. face — to point toward

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