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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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. tube — a container
  3. chip — for betting
  4. current — happening now
  5. stock — goods
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. current — electric
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. mark — a trace
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. chip — to eat
  14. stock — shares
  15. perch — the fish
  16. current — of water
  17. mark — a grade
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. stand — to bear
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. tube — the underground
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. chip — in a computer

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