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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 120 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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  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. chip — for betting
  2. rush — hurry
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. track — a path
  5. key — in music
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. bat — the animal
  9. track — a song
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. key — for a lock
  14. stock — shares
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. track — to keep track
  17. key — the most important part
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. stock — goods
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. patient — a sick person
  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