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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 120 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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. stock — goods
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. chip — for betting
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. chip — to eat
  7. last — final
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. can — a tin
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. fine — high quality
  13. can — a tin
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. perch — the fish
  16. last — finally
  17. can — to be able to
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. last — to go on
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stock — shares
  24. fine — all right

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