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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. stock — goods
  6. season — of the year
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. net — after costs
  9. net — for catching
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. chip — for betting
  12. chip — to eat
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. net — in sport
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. pitch — completely
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. foot — a measure
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. rash — hasty
  22. season — in sport
  23. stock — shares
  24. rash — a series

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