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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 bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. chip — for betting
  4. toast — bread
  5. chip — to eat
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. bore — to drill
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bark — to shout
  13. stock — goods
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. hand — help
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. hand — in cards
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. stock — shares
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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