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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. season — in sport
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. stock — shares
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. lean — to bend
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. drill — the tool
  14. deal — to handle
  15. chip — to eat
  16. drill — a practice
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. drill — army training
  20. lean — thin
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. stock — goods
  23. chip — for betting
  24. hide — animal skin

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