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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. stock — shares
  3. can — to be able to
  4. suit — clothes
  5. stock — goods
  6. bear — the animal
  7. club — for dancing
  8. can — a tin
  9. face — to point toward
  10. face — to confront
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. bear — the animal
  14. club — a group
  15. suit — to fit
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. club — for golf
  18. can — a tin
  19. game — wild animals
  20. chip — for betting
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. face — part of the head
  23. chip — to eat
  24. suit — in cards

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