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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. can — a tin
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. key — for a lock
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. can — a tin
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. saw — the tool
  11. key — the most important part
  12. stock — goods
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. saw — the tool
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. can — to be able to
  18. key — in music
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. chip — for betting
  21. kick — in football
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. stock — shares

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