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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: craft · stock · bore · cap · chip · chest · leaves · ruler

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. cap — a hat
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. cap — of ice
  5. cap — a lid
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. chest — of your body
  8. craft — boats
  9. chest — of your body
  10. bore — to tire
  11. stock — shares
  12. stock — goods
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. chip — for betting
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. chip — to eat
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. chest — a box
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. craft — a skill

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