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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. stock — shares
  3. scale — size or range
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. clip — a video
  7. chip — for betting
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. stock — goods
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. scale — in music
  13. clip — to cut
  14. clip — for paper
  15. snap — to click
  16. pitch — completely
  17. chip — to eat
  18. stand — to bear
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. squash — to crush
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. squash — the 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