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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. chip — to eat
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. key — in music
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. chip — for betting
  7. mark — a trace
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — a tin
  10. mark — a grade
  11. key — for a lock
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. stock — goods
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. can — to be able to
  20. stock — shares
  21. key — the most important part
  22. stand — to bear
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. deal — to handle

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