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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
468
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: pit · degree · chip · craft · suit · stock · drill · kick

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. degree — an amount
  5. pit — in a race
  6. suit — clothes
  7. drill — army training
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. drill — a practice
  10. stock — goods
  11. suit — in cards
  12. suit — to fit
  13. kick — in football
  14. craft — boats
  15. degree — from a university
  16. degree — temperature
  17. chip — to eat
  18. chip — for betting
  19. drill — the tool
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. stock — shares
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. craft — a skill

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