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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. stock — shares
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. chair — a leader
  8. chip — for betting
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. bore — to drill
  13. stock — goods
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. firm — a company
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. firm — steady
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. kick — in football
  21. firm — decided
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. perch — the fish
  24. bore — to tire

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