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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. chip — for betting
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. date — the fruit
  6. stock — shares
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. bound — tied together
  10. swing — to play on
  11. bound — obliged
  12. swing — music
  13. present — there
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. chip — to eat
  17. bound — certain
  18. present — the time now
  19. present — a gift
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. swing — in golf
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. stock — goods
  24. rush — hurry

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