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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. suit — clothes
  3. chip — to eat
  4. drill — the tool
  5. last — finally
  6. drill — a practice
  7. suit — to fit
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. scale — in music
  11. ground — the earth
  12. stock — goods
  13. suit — in cards
  14. drill — army training
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. ground — a position
  17. last — final
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. scale — size or range
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. ground — crushed
  22. chip — for betting
  23. last — to go on
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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