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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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468
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: lie · chip · bore · file · net · stock · bulb · rash

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. bore — to tire
  3. bore — to drill
  4. rash — hasty
  5. rash — a series
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. file — a line of people
  8. net — after costs
  9. net — in sport
  10. bulb — for light
  11. lie — to recline
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. bulb — for light
  14. stock — goods
  15. file — a tool
  16. chip — to eat
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. stock — shares
  19. file — a document
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. net — for catching
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. lie — an untruth

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