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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: firm · chip · pit · cap · stock · dip · key · bark

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. chip — to eat
  4. key — the most important part
  5. cap — a lid
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. pit — a hole
  8. firm — decided
  9. cap — of ice
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. stock — goods
  12. bark — to shout
  13. chip — for betting
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. pit — in a race
  16. dip — to sink
  17. key — for a lock
  18. stock — shares
  19. key — in music
  20. cap — a hat
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. firm — a company
  23. firm — steady
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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