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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: leaves · chip · ruler · stock · chest · foot · arm · tube

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. tube — a container
  7. chip — for betting
  8. chest — of your body
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. chest — a box
  13. chip — to eat
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. tube — the underground
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. foot — a measure
  19. chest — of your body
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. stock — goods
  24. arm — a part of something

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