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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 · current · chip · rest · leaves · bowl · foot · net

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. current — electric
  4. rest — what's left
  5. net — in sport
  6. current — happening now
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. foot — a measure
  9. chip — for betting
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. stock — shares
  14. rest — what's left
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. net — after costs
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. rest — a break
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. net — for catching
  22. stock — goods
  23. current — of water
  24. chip — to eat

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