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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: ball · chip · last · bore · hide · charge · stock · file

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. file — a document
  3. last — finally
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. stock — shares
  6. stock — goods
  7. chip — for betting
  8. ball — a dance
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. chip — to eat
  11. last — final
  12. charge — electricity
  13. last — to go on
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. ball — a great time
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. file — a tool
  21. charge — a price
  22. bore — to drill
  23. file — a line of people
  24. bore — to 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