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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 potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. chip — to eat
  3. branch — a division
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. clip — a video
  7. board — to get on
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. object — an aim
  10. clip — for paper
  11. chip — for betting
  12. object — a thing
  13. fall — the season
  14. board — a committee
  15. stock — goods
  16. fall — to drop
  17. stock — shares
  18. fall — to drop
  19. clip — to cut
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. object — to protest
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. stand — to bear

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