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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. pitch — completely
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. chip — to eat
  5. stock — shares
  6. press — newspapers
  7. rule — government
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. press — a publisher
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. rule — a law
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. press — to push
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. mine — for digging
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. stand — to bear
  23. chip — for betting
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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