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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. suit — in cards
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. chip — for betting
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. object — to protest
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. pop — soda
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. object — a thing
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. pop — music
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. suit — clothes
  19. stock — goods
  20. suit — to fit
  21. pop — to visit
  22. stock — shares
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. object — an aim

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