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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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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: wind · bank · pit · chip · stand · stock

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. bank — for money
  3. stock — shares
  4. chip — to eat
  5. wind — moving air
  6. stock — goods
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. pit — a hole
  10. bank — of a river
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. pit — in a race
  13. wind — moving air
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. chip — for betting
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. bank — for money
  18. stand — to bear

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