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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 120 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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. land — ground
  4. chip — for betting
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. rush — hurry
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. fall — to drop
  10. mug — to rob
  11. bass — the fish
  12. fall — to drop
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. chip — to eat
  15. stock — goods
  16. bass — low music
  17. stock — shares
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. mug — a cup
  20. land — a country
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. land — to come down
  24. fall — the season

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