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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. suit — in cards
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. chip — to eat
  8. suit — clothes
  9. stock — goods
  10. suit — to fit
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pitch — completely
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. cue — a hint
  16. cue — a signal
  17. chip — for betting
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. current — happening now
  21. current — of water
  22. cue — for pool
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. current — electric

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