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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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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: foot · stock · bank · rule · mate · chip · key · stand

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. mate — a friend
  3. rule — a law
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — for money
  6. stock — goods
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. chip — for betting
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. bank — of a river
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. chip — to eat
  15. stand — to bear
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. key — the most important part
  19. key — for a lock
  20. rule — government
  21. mate — to breed
  22. foot — a measure
  23. key — in music
  24. stock — shares

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