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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. pop — music
  3. mine — for digging
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. stock — shares
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. chip — for betting
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. pop — to visit
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. scale — in music
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. scale — size or range
  16. chip — to eat
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. mate — a partner
  19. mate — a friend
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. stock — goods
  22. pop — soda
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. mate — to breed

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