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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.

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: field · hide · suit · stock · chip · tube · perch · press

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. field — farmland
  3. chip — to eat
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. stock — shares
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. tube — a container
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. chip — for betting
  12. press — newspapers
  13. suit — in cards
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. press — to push
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. suit — clothes
  18. suit — to fit
  19. field — a subject
  20. stock — goods
  21. perch — the fish
  22. field — for sport
  23. press — a publisher
  24. tube — in a 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