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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fine · firm · chip · stock · racket · current

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. current — electric
  4. firm — decided
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. current — of water
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. chip — for betting
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. current — happening now
  11. firm — steady
  12. stock — shares
  13. stock — goods
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. fine — high quality
  16. firm — a company
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. chip — to eat

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