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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. row — a line
  3. stock — goods
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. foot — a measure
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. row — to paddle
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. date — the fruit
  22. chip — for betting
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. chip — to eat

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