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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. stock — shares
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. stock — goods
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. band — a ring
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. mate — a friend
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. lie — to recline
  14. chip — to eat
  15. chip — for betting
  16. rush — hurry
  17. mate — a partner
  18. date — the fruit
  19. band — a music group
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. mate — to breed
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. date — on the calendar

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