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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. stock — goods
  3. band — a ring
  4. tube — the underground
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. band — a music group
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. chip — for betting
  10. root — of a word
  11. root — the cause
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. mark — a trace
  15. chip — to eat
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. stock — shares
  18. mark — a grade
  19. fork — in a road
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. root — of a plant
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. tube — a container

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