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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. stock — shares
  3. suit — clothes
  4. track — a path
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. suit — in cards
  7. chip — to eat
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. fork — in a road
  11. track — a song
  12. chip — for betting
  13. wound — an injury
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. wound — an injury
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. wake — a trail
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. track — to keep track
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. stock — goods
  24. suit — to fit

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