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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. mark — a grade
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. mark — a trace
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. clip — for paper
  9. clip — a video
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. chip — for betting
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. chip — to eat
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. stock — goods
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. fork — in a road
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. clip — to cut

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