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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 · dip · scale · chair · rock · bay · bound · chip

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. chip — to eat
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bound — tied together
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. stock — goods
  8. bound — obliged
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. rock — a stone
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. chip — for betting
  13. scale — in music
  14. rock — music
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. chair — a leader
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. bound — certain
  21. stock — shares
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. dip — to sink
  24. scale — size or range

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