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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 potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. stock — shares
  3. chip — for betting
  4. bank — for money
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. pit — in a race
  10. pit — a hole
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. mark — a trace
  15. mark — a grade
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. stock — goods
  19. snap — to click
  20. bank — for money
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. bank — of a river

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