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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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. drill — the tool
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. object — an aim
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. cell — in biology
  10. cell — a phone
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. drill — army training
  14. stock — shares
  15. chip — for betting
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. net — for catching
  19. object — to protest
  20. drill — a practice
  21. object — a thing
  22. net — after costs
  23. chip — to eat
  24. net — in sport

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