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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 116 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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. stock — goods
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. cap — a lid
  5. kick — in football
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. face — to point toward
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. chip — to eat
  10. cap — a hat
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. cap — of ice
  13. current — electric
  14. face — part of the head
  15. season — in sport
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. current — of water
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. current — happening now
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. stock — shares
  22. bark — to shout
  23. face — to confront
  24. season — of the year

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