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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. chip — to eat
  6. stock — goods
  7. bound — tied together
  8. suit — to fit
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. sharp — clever
  11. file — a tool
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. bound — certain
  14. suit — clothes
  15. bound — obliged
  16. stock — shares
  17. file — a document
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. file — a line of people
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. suit — in cards
  22. chip — for betting
  23. lie — to recline
  24. sharp — with an edge

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