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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 120 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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. wound — an injury
  3. object — a thing
  4. wound — an injury
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. stock — shares
  9. chip — to eat
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. face — part of the head
  14. mark — a grade
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. object — to protest
  18. stock — goods
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. face — to confront
  21. object — an aim
  22. face — to point toward
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. mark — a trace

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