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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. stock — shares
  6. tear — from crying
  7. tear — to rip
  8. track — to keep track
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bark — to shout
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. tear — from crying
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. track — a song
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. chair — a leader
  19. sharp — clever
  20. track — a path
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. stock — goods
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. chip — for betting

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