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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 potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. mug — a face
  4. chip — for betting
  5. fork — in a road
  6. ball — a dance
  7. lean — to bend
  8. stock — shares
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. lean — thin
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. stock — goods
  14. ball — a great time
  15. tube — the underground
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. mug — a cup
  20. wind — moving air
  21. tube — a container
  22. wind — moving air
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. mug — to rob

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