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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 potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. chip — for betting
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. wake — a trail
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. spell — letters
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. date — the fruit
  14. spell — magic
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. stock — goods
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. stock — shares
  19. spell — a short time
  20. rock — a stone
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. rock — 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