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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 116 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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. stock — shares
  3. net — in sport
  4. firm — decided
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. ball — a dance
  7. bass — low music
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. pit — in a race
  10. bass — the fish
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. rest — a break
  13. ball — a great time
  14. firm — a company
  15. chip — to eat
  16. rest — what's left
  17. stock — goods
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. net — after costs
  20. net — for catching
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. firm — steady
  23. rest — what's left
  24. pit — a hole

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