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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 124 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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. craft — boats
  6. stock — shares
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. bulb — for light
  14. snap — to click
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. craft — a skill
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. bulb — for light
  19. board — to get on
  20. chip — for betting
  21. tube — a container
  22. tube — the underground
  23. stock — goods
  24. board — a committee

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