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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. chip — to eat
  5. chair — a leader
  6. stock — shares
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. scale — size or range
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. lie — to recline
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. stock — goods
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. pit — a hole
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. pit — in a race
  23. deal — to handle
  24. scale — in music

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