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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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. present — a gift
  3. present — there
  4. board — to get on
  5. present — the time now
  6. fine — high quality
  7. cap — of ice
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. cap — a lid
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. cap — a hat
  14. board — a committee
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. chip — to eat
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. chip — for betting
  21. stock — shares
  22. fine — all right
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. stock — a soup base

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