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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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. rash — hasty
  6. rash — a series
  7. chip — to eat
  8. stock — shares
  9. deal — to handle
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. swing — music
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. net — for catching
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. net — in sport
  20. chip — for betting
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. net — after costs
  23. swing — in golf
  24. swing — to play on

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