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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: chip · staff · stock · scale · board · fall · kid · tube

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  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. board — to get on
  2. staff — a stick
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. fall — to drop
  5. fall — to drop
  6. chip — for betting
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. stock — goods
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. stock — shares
  13. kid — child
  14. staff — employees
  15. scale — in music
  16. tube — a container
  17. staff — employees
  18. scale — size or range
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. fall — the season
  21. tube — the underground
  22. kid — to tease
  23. board — a committee
  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