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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. stock — shares
  3. object — a thing
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. suit — clothes
  6. chip — for betting
  7. object — an aim
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. suit — in cards
  10. pound — a weight
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. suit — to fit
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. wound — an injury
  17. object — to protest
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. chip — to eat
  20. season — of the year
  21. season — in sport
  22. wound — an injury
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. stock — goods

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