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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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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: stock · face · chip · field · object · can · swing · bay

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. stock — goods
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. object — a thing
  6. can — a tin
  7. swing — in golf
  8. stock — shares
  9. chip — for betting
  10. swing — to play on
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. face — to point toward
  13. face — to confront
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. can — a tin
  16. object — to protest
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. swing — music
  19. field — for sport
  20. field — a subject
  21. chip — to eat
  22. field — farmland
  23. can — to be able to
  24. face — part of the head

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