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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: suit · chip · plane · cabinet · stick · row · bay · rock

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. rock — music
  4. chip — to eat
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. suit — clothes
  8. chip — for betting
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. row — to paddle
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. suit — in cards
  15. row — a line
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. rock — a stone
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. plane — a tool
  20. suit — to fit
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. cabinet — ministers

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