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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 120 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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. mine — for digging
  4. stock — goods
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. pit — in a race
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. rock — a stone
  10. tear — from crying
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. chip — to eat
  17. rock — music
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. tear — from crying
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. stock — shares
  22. pit — a hole
  23. chip — for betting
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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