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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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. pit — a hole
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. saw — the tool
  5. chip — to eat
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. staff — a stick
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. present — there
  10. wind — moving air
  11. present — the time now
  12. present — a gift
  13. saw — the tool
  14. pit — in a race
  15. stock — goods
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. chip — for betting
  19. wind — moving air
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. stock — shares
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. staff — employees
  24. chip — in a computer

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