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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: object · stock · bulb · bore · chip · squash · chair · pop

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bore — to tire
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. squash — the sport
  6. chip — to eat
  7. object — a thing
  8. object — an aim
  9. bulb — for light
  10. squash — to crush
  11. bore — to drill
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. object — to protest
  14. pop — music
  15. bulb — for light
  16. pop — to visit
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. chip — for betting
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. stock — shares
  21. pop — soda
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. chair — a leader
  24. stock — goods

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