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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 girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. stock — shares
  3. cap — of ice
  4. club — for dancing
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. cap — a hat
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. chip — for betting
  9. drill — a practice
  10. drill — the tool
  11. staff — a stick
  12. suit — in cards
  13. cap — a lid
  14. drill — army training
  15. staff — employees
  16. chip — to eat
  17. stock — goods
  18. row — to paddle
  19. suit — to fit
  20. staff — employees
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. club — a group
  23. club — for golf
  24. suit — clothes

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