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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. stock — goods
  5. swing — to play on
  6. chip — to eat
  7. charge — in control
  8. stock — shares
  9. season — of the year
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. bank — for money
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. season — in sport
  14. rush — hurry
  15. swing — music
  16. charge — electricity
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. tube — a container
  19. chip — for betting
  20. swing — in golf
  21. tube — the underground
  22. bank — of a river
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. bank — for money

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