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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: sharp · mouse · chip · pit · wind · press · key · stock

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. sharp — clever
  3. wind — moving air
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. chip — to eat
  7. stock — shares
  8. key — for a lock
  9. press — a publisher
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. press — to push
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. key — in music
  15. press — newspapers
  16. key — the most important part
  17. pit — in a race
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. chip — for betting
  20. stock — goods
  21. pit — a hole
  22. wind — moving air
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. chip — in a computer

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