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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: game · bass · dip · stock · chip · object · pit · can

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. object — a thing
  3. pit — in a race
  4. bass — low music
  5. chip — for betting
  6. pit — a hole
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. object — an aim
  9. bass — the fish
  10. can — a tin
  11. stock — shares
  12. game — a match
  13. can — to be able to
  14. object — to protest
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. can — a tin
  20. dip — to sink
  21. stock — goods
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. game — wild animals

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