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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  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. chip — in a computer
  2. board — to get on
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. spell — a short time
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. shower — to wash
  8. stock — goods
  9. chip — to eat
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. chip — for betting
  14. spell — letters
  15. board — a committee
  16. shower — rain
  17. spell — magic
  18. staff — employees
  19. stock — shares
  20. rush — hurry
  21. staff — a stick
  22. staff — employees
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  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