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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. firm — steady
  6. firm — a company
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. rash — hasty
  9. present — the time now
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. chip — to eat
  13. rash — a series
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. present — there
  17. branch — a division
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. stock — goods
  21. stock — shares
  22. firm — decided
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. present — a gift

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