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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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. chip — for betting
  3. charge — electricity
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. charge — in control
  6. charge — a price
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. stock — shares
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. stand — to bear
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. chip — to eat
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. mouse — the animal

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