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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. chip — for betting
  4. chip — to eat
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. pop — to visit
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. craft — boats
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. craft — a skill
  11. pop — soda
  12. spring — a coil
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. stock — shares
  16. kick — in football
  17. pop — music
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. stock — goods
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. spring — the season
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. spring — of water

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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