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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: fork · wax · stock · coach · chip · cabinet · shower · leaves

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. chip — for betting
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. shower — rain
  8. wax — to grow
  9. stock — goods
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. stock — shares
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. chip — to eat
  20. shower — to wash
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. leaves — lets stay

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