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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. pass — a permit
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. root — of a word
  7. stock — shares
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. chip — to eat
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. wound — an injury
  12. stock — goods
  13. root — of a plant
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. pound — a weight
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. chip — for betting
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. root — the cause

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