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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: stick · sharp · row · stock · spell · key · chip · wave

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. row — to paddle
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. stock — shares
  5. chip — to eat
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. key — the most important part
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. spell — magic
  11. stock — goods
  12. sharp — clever
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. spell — a short time
  16. row — a line
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. key — in music
  19. spell — letters
  20. key — for a lock
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. chip — for betting
  24. wave — with your hand

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