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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. rest — what's left
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. rash — hasty
  5. season — of the year
  6. rest — what's left
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. rash — a series
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. stock — goods
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. chip — to eat
  17. rest — a break
  18. stock — shares
  19. saw — the tool
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. saw — the tool
  22. chip — for betting
  23. season — in sport
  24. arm — a part of something

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