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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.

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: row · cabinet · suit · cell · stock · lean · hide · chip

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. lean — thin
  3. suit — to fit
  4. row — to paddle
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. suit — in cards
  7. stock — shares
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. chip — to eat
  12. cell — a phone
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cell — in biology
  16. chip — for betting
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. suit — clothes
  20. lean — to bend
  21. stock — goods
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. lean — to rest against

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