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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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. cue — for pool
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. kid — child
  7. stock — shares
  8. bank — of a river
  9. bank — for money
  10. cue — a hint
  11. kid — to tease
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. can — a tin
  14. bank — for money
  15. stock — goods
  16. cue — a signal
  17. can — to be able to
  18. can — a tin
  19. land — ground
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. chip — for betting
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. chip — to eat
  24. land — to come down

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