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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. stock — goods
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. mine — for digging
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. chip — for betting
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. chip — to eat
  12. club — a group
  13. row — a line
  14. club — for dancing
  15. club — for golf
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. row — to paddle
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. stock — shares
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. saw — the tool

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