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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 116 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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. stock — shares
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. stand — to bear
  5. board — a committee
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. stock — goods
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. content — happy
  11. content — the amount
  12. chip — for betting
  13. chip — to eat
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. tube — the underground
  16. board — to get on
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. present — the time now
  21. present — there
  22. tube — a container
  23. present — a gift
  24. fan — a supporter

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