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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: fan · fork · perch · chip · cabinet · bat · stock · stand

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. stock — goods
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. fork — in a road
  12. bat — the animal
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. stock — shares
  18. stand — to bear
  19. chip — for betting
  20. perch — the fish
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. chip — in a computer

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