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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. chip — to eat
  3. ground — a position
  4. stock — goods
  5. ground — the earth
  6. chip — for betting
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. bound — tied together
  9. pit — in a race
  10. bound — certain
  11. vault — a safe
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. pit — a hole
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. kick — in football
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. stock — shares
  22. bound — obliged
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. ground — crushed

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