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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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. chip — to eat
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. staff — a stick
  5. stock — shares
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. bark — to shout
  8. current — happening now
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. plane — a tool
  11. staff — employees
  12. staff — employees
  13. current — electric
  14. current — of water
  15. swing — to play on
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. chip — for betting
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. swing — music
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. swing — in golf

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