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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. stock — goods
  5. cue — a hint
  6. root — of a plant
  7. root — the cause
  8. cue — for pool
  9. cold — an illness
  10. cold — not warm
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. bank — for money
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. chip — for betting
  15. bank — for money
  16. chip — to eat
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. bank — of a river
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. cue — a signal
  21. stock — shares
  22. wax — to grow
  23. root — of a word
  24. calf — of the leg

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