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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: stock · ball · fine · land · coach · fan · fork · chip

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. chip — to eat
  3. land — to come down
  4. ball — a great time
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. fine — all right
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. stock — goods
  11. fork — in a road
  12. land — a country
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. stock — shares
  17. chip — for betting
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. land — ground
  21. ball — a dance
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. fine — high quality
  24. stock — a soup base

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