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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. roll — a cake
  4. mate — a friend
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. root — the cause
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. face — to confront
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. root — of a word
  11. root — of a plant
  12. face — part of the head
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. capital — a city
  15. stock — goods
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. mate — to breed
  18. capital — money
  19. face — to point toward
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. roll — a list
  22. mate — a partner
  23. chip — to eat
  24. stock — shares

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