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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: chip · race · pitcher · swing · pound · toast · stock · leaves

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. stock — goods
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. swing — to play on
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. race — a contest
  10. stock — shares
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. swing — music
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. race — humankind
  17. toast — bread
  18. chip — to eat
  19. race — the arms race
  20. pound — a weight
  21. chip — for betting
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. swing — in golf

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