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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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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: can · pit · nail · stock · fork · kid · chip · stand

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. chip — for betting
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. can — to be able to
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. chip — to eat
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. can — a tin
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. stock — shares
  15. pit — a hole
  16. stock — goods
  17. stand — to bear
  18. kid — to tease
  19. fork — in a road
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. kid — child
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. can — a tin

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