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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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. net — for catching
  3. fine — all right
  4. chip — to eat
  5. club — a group
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. club — for golf
  8. net — in sport
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. staff — employees
  13. cue — for pool
  14. club — for dancing
  15. chip — for betting
  16. stock — shares
  17. fine — high quality
  18. cue — a hint
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. cue — a signal
  21. staff — a stick
  22. staff — employees
  23. net — after costs
  24. chip — in a computer

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