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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. present — a gift
  3. chip — for betting
  4. roll — a cake
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. track — a path
  8. roll — a list
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. prune — to trim
  11. present — there
  12. stock — goods
  13. prune — to trim
  14. chip — to eat
  15. present — the time now
  16. tube — the underground
  17. track — to keep track
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. track — a song
  20. object — an aim
  21. stock — shares
  22. tube — a container
  23. object — to protest
  24. object — a thing

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