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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. stock — shares
  4. chip — to eat
  5. field — for sport
  6. lie — to recline
  7. field — a subject
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. chip — for betting
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. field — farmland
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. tube — a container
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. stock — goods
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. tube — the underground
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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