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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. stock — shares
  3. game — a match
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. stock — goods
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. charge — electricity
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. chip — for betting
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. sharp — clever
  15. chip — to eat
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. lie — to recline
  19. game — wild animals
  20. rush — hurry
  21. charge — in control
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. charge — a price

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