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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 · lean · bank · bore · chip · safe · clip · nail

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bank — for money
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. bore — to tire
  6. lean — thin
  7. lean — to bend
  8. clip — to cut
  9. stock — shares
  10. chip — for betting
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. clip — a video
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. chip — to eat
  15. bore — to drill
  16. clip — for paper
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. bank — for money
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. bank — of a river

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