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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. chip — to eat
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. chip — for betting
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. chest — of your body
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. chest — of your body
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. suit — to fit
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. shower — rain
  13. suit — clothes
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. suit — in cards
  19. shower — to wash
  20. rush — hurry
  21. stock — goods
  22. chest — a box
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. stock — shares

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