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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. stock — shares
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. row — a line
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. chip — to eat
  8. charge — in control
  9. rest — a break
  10. rest — what's left
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. chip — for betting
  13. rest — what's left
  14. bear — the animal
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. charge — electricity
  18. stock — goods
  19. bear — the animal
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. charge — a price
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. nail — on a finger

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