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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: stock · rock · fork · chip · pitcher · ground · fan · mouse

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. stock — shares
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. ground — the earth
  5. chip — to eat
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. ground — a position
  15. ground — crushed
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. rock — music
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. fork — in a road
  23. rock — a stone
  24. stock — goods

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