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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. swing — music
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. stock — shares
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. chip — for betting
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. swing — in golf
  11. roll — a list
  12. race — a contest
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. race — the arms race
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. stand — to bear
  17. roll — a cake
  18. stock — goods
  19. chip — to eat
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. swing — to play on
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. race — humankind

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