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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. chip — to eat
  3. land — to come down
  4. pop — to visit
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. stock — shares
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. board — to get on
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. pop — soda
  16. land — ground
  17. chip — for betting
  18. chair — a leader
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. board — a committee
  22. stock — goods
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. land — a country

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