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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: cabinet · dip · stock · toast · game · patient · season · chip

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. toast — bread
  7. chip — for betting
  8. dip — to sink
  9. season — of the year
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. season — in sport
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. stock — goods
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. stock — shares
  18. game — wild animals
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. game — a match
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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