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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 116 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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. current — happening now
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. root — of a plant
  6. current — of water
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. fall — to drop
  9. stock — goods
  10. saw — the tool
  11. chip — to eat
  12. saw — the tool
  13. chip — for betting
  14. fall — to drop
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. root — of a word
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. mine — for digging
  21. root — the cause
  22. current — electric
  23. stock — shares
  24. fall — the season

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