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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. race — humankind
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. race — the arms race
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. chest — of your body
  10. stock — shares
  11. bear — the animal
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. board — to get on
  14. chest — of your body
  15. chest — a box
  16. chip — for betting
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. chip — to eat
  21. stock — goods
  22. race — a contest
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. board — a committee

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