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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: tube · deal · drill · stock · bear · plane · cabinet · chip

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. drill — a practice
  6. plane — a tool
  7. tube — the underground
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. chip — for betting
  12. chip — to eat
  13. bear — the animal
  14. drill — army training
  15. stock — goods
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. bear — the animal
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. stock — shares
  22. drill — the tool
  23. tube — a container
  24. deal — to handle

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