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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 120 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: safe · cell · row · present · fine · stock · chip · bore

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. fine — all right
  7. fine — high quality
  8. cell — in biology
  9. row — to paddle
  10. row — a line
  11. stock — goods
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. chip — to eat
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. present — there
  17. present — a gift
  18. chip — for betting
  19. bore — to drill
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. cell — a phone
  22. present — the time now
  23. stock — shares
  24. row — a quarrel

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