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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 116 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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. board — to get on
  5. club — for dancing
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. chip — for betting
  8. club — a group
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. firm — a company
  12. club — for golf
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. stock — shares
  15. board — a committee
  16. root — of a plant
  17. root — the cause
  18. chip — to eat
  19. root — of a word
  20. firm — steady
  21. firm — decided
  22. season — of the year
  23. stock — goods
  24. season — in sport

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