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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: stock · chip · root · stick · bore · band · perch · pitcher

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. perch — the fish
  3. root — the cause
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. root — of a plant
  8. bore — to tire
  9. chip — for betting
  10. bore — to drill
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. stock — shares
  13. root — of a word
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. band — a music group
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. band — a ring
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. stock — goods
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. chip — to eat
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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