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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. bass — low music
  3. track — a path
  4. spell — a short time
  5. can — a tin
  6. spell — magic
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. can — to be able to
  9. stock — goods
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. can — a tin
  12. track — to keep track
  13. key — the most important part
  14. chip — for betting
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. track — a song
  17. spell — letters
  18. bass — the fish
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. key — in music
  21. key — for a lock
  22. stock — shares
  23. branch — a division
  24. chip — to eat

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