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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. mark — a grade
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. chip — for betting
  7. stock — goods
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. chip — to eat
  13. game — wild animals
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. foot — a measure
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. stock — shares
  20. mark — a trace
  21. game — a match
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. mouse — the animal

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