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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. stock — shares
  4. bulb — for light
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. stock — goods
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. pop — soda
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. tube — the underground
  12. tube — a container
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. pop — to visit
  15. cell — a phone
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bulb — for light
  18. chip — for betting
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. stand — to bear
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. pop — music
  24. cell — in biology

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