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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. stock — shares
  4. stock — goods
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. chip — for betting
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. prune — to trim
  10. race — the arms race
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. chip — to eat
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. kick — in football
  16. race — humankind
  17. rock — music
  18. kid — child
  19. prune — to trim
  20. rock — a stone
  21. kid — to tease
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. race — a contest
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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