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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. firm — decided
  3. stock — goods
  4. mark — a grade
  5. degree — an amount
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. club — a group
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mark — a trace
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. firm — a company
  12. degree — temperature
  13. key — in music
  14. chip — for betting
  15. key — for a lock
  16. stock — shares
  17. key — the most important part
  18. club — for golf
  19. pass — a permit
  20. club — for dancing
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. firm — steady
  23. degree — from a university
  24. chip — to eat

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