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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 potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. stock — shares
  5. sharp — clever
  6. chip — for betting
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. bank — for money
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. track — a path
  12. track — a song
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. bank — of a river
  16. roll — a list
  17. stock — goods
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. roll — a cake
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. bank — for money
  24. track — to keep track

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