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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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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: ruler · bulb · stem · stock · kick · roll · squash · chip

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. chip — for betting
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. squash — the sport
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. stem — to come from
  11. roll — a cake
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. stock — goods
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. stock — shares
  18. kick — in football
  19. bulb — for light
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. squash — to crush
  22. bulb — for light
  23. roll — a list
  24. stock — a soup base

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