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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: fine · lean · bowl · straw · chip · foot · stock · bulb

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. chip — to eat
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bulb — for light
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. lean — thin
  7. lean — to bend
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. fine — high quality
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bulb — for light
  15. stock — shares
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. chip — for betting
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. stock — goods
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. foot — a measure
  24. fine — all right

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