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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. current — of water
  3. stock — shares
  4. land — to come down
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. land — a country
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. land — ground
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. ball — a dance
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. chip — to eat
  17. ball — a great time
  18. stock — goods
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. stand — to bear
  21. current — happening now
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. current — electric
  24. fan — a supporter

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