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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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. mug — to rob
  3. chip — to eat
  4. chip — for betting
  5. cue — a hint
  6. net — in sport
  7. snap — to click
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. mug — a face
  10. row — to paddle
  11. net — for catching
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. bore — to drill
  16. cue — a signal
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. stock — shares
  19. row — a line
  20. net — after costs
  21. bore — to tire
  22. mug — a cup
  23. cue — for pool
  24. bore — gave birth

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