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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. stock — shares
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. foot — a measure
  7. stock — goods
  8. mug — a face
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. chip — to eat
  11. mug — a cup
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. chip — for betting
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. fork — in a road
  21. mug — to rob
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. coach — a trainer

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