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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 120 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: stem · chip · charge · stock · tube · staff · fork · pit

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. staff — employees
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. chip — for betting
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. fork — in a road
  9. pit — in a race
  10. charge — in control
  11. charge — electricity
  12. stock — goods
  13. tube — a container
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. chip — to eat
  16. staff — a stick
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. tube — the underground
  19. stock — shares
  20. charge — a price
  21. stem — to come from
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. pit — a hole
  24. staff — employees

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