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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: can · tube · stand · dip · mouse · bear · stock · chip

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. stand — to bear
  3. bear — the animal
  4. chip — to eat
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. dip — to sink
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. stock — shares
  10. tube — a container
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. can — a tin
  15. chip — for betting
  16. bear — the animal
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. stock — goods
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. tube — the underground
  23. can — to be able to
  24. can — a tin

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