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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. press — newspapers
  3. chip — for betting
  4. stock — goods
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. stock — shares
  9. net — after costs
  10. bear — the animal
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. bore — to tire
  13. bore — to drill
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. press — to push
  16. chip — to eat
  17. press — a publisher
  18. net — for catching
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. cue — a hint
  22. cue — for pool
  23. cue — a signal
  24. mine — for digging

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