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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. key — in music
  3. chip — for betting
  4. tube — a container
  5. stock — shares
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. tube — the underground
  10. stock — goods
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. key — the most important part
  13. staff — employees
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. pound — a weight
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. chip — to eat
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. staff — a stick
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. key — for a lock
  23. staff — employees
  24. chip — in a computer

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