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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 ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. root — of a plant
  3. stock — shares
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. chip — to eat
  6. stock — goods
  7. chip — for betting
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. bear — the animal
  10. band — a music group
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bear — the animal
  18. root — of a word
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. root — the cause
  23. band — a ring
  24. fork — in a road

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