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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 116 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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. chip — for betting
  3. stock — goods
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. craft — a skill
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. present — there
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. pit — a hole
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. present — the time now
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. fork — in a road
  17. pit — in a race
  18. craft — boats
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. chip — to eat
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. stock — shares
  24. fork — to eat with

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