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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · mouse · clip · fine · squash · staff · snap · chair

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. clip — a video
  6. staff — employees
  7. fine — high quality
  8. stock — shares
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. squash — the sport
  12. clip — to cut
  13. squash — to crush
  14. staff — a stick
  15. fine — all right
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. clip — for paper
  18. staff — employees
  19. snap — to click
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. stock — goods
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. chair — a leader

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