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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. stock — goods
  3. wound — an injury
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. wound — an injury
  6. club — for golf
  7. spell — a short time
  8. chip — to eat
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bulb — for light
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. stock — shares
  16. deal — to handle
  17. spell — letters
  18. chip — for betting
  19. club — for dancing
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. spell — magic

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