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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 116 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: bore · capital · mine · rest · stock · can · chip · board

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. bore — to tire
  3. rest — what's left
  4. capital — money
  5. rest — a break
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. chip — for betting
  8. board — a committee
  9. can — a tin
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. stock — goods
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. bore — to drill
  15. can — a tin
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. mine — for digging
  20. capital — a city
  21. chip — to eat
  22. stock — shares
  23. board — to get on
  24. can — to be able to

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