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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. charge — a price
  3. cue — for pool
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. cue — a signal
  6. row — to paddle
  7. stock — goods
  8. charge — in control
  9. stock — shares
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. row — a line
  13. chip — for betting
  14. cue — a hint
  15. chip — to eat
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. deal — to handle
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. charge — electricity
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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