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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 ________________ market has crashed.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. pop — soda
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. ball — a dance
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. chip — to eat
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. bark — to shout
  10. pit — in a race
  11. pop — music
  12. pitch — completely
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. stock — goods
  15. chip — for betting
  16. pit — a hole
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. bear — the animal
  20. ball — a great time
  21. pop — to visit
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. stock — a soup base

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