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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. can — to be able to
  3. present — the time now
  4. chip — for betting
  5. hand — in cards
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. chip — to eat
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. can — a tin
  10. current — of water
  11. bank — of a river
  12. current — happening now
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. bank — for money
  15. can — a tin
  16. bank — for money
  17. stock — shares
  18. present — a gift
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. present — there
  21. current — electric
  22. hand — help
  23. bark — to shout
  24. chip — in a computer

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