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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  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. mate — to breed
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. chip — for betting
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. firm — a company
  6. present — the time now
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. squash — the sport
  9. firm — decided
  10. present — there
  11. mate — a friend
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. firm — steady
  14. mate — a partner
  15. stock — goods
  16. present — a gift
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. stock — shares
  21. bark — to shout
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. squash — to crush
  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