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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. field — for sport
  4. stock — goods
  5. rock — a stone
  6. season — in sport
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. rock — music
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. track — a song
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. track — a path
  19. field — farmland
  20. track — to keep track
  21. chip — to eat
  22. chip — for betting
  23. season — of the year
  24. field — a subject

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