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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. chip — for betting
  3. stock — shares
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. stock — goods
  7. mark — a grade
  8. branch — a division
  9. chip — to eat
  10. bulb — for light
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. tube — a container
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. mark — a trace
  16. kick — in football
  17. chair — a leader
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. bulb — for light
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. tube — the underground

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