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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 potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. squash — to crush
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. foot — a measure
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. stock — shares
  12. mate — a friend
  13. mate — a partner
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. chip — for betting
  16. stock — goods
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. lean — to bend
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. mate — to breed
  21. squash — the sport
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. lean — thin

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