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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: saw · suit · stock · nail · last · cabinet · chip · kick

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. chip — to eat
  3. last — to go on
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. suit — in cards
  6. last — finally
  7. stock — goods
  8. suit — to fit
  9. kick — in football
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. stock — shares
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — the tool
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. last — final
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. suit — clothes
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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