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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: cabinet · chip · ball · kick · rush · stock · squash · staff

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. staff — employees
  6. staff — a stick
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. chip — to eat
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. ball — a dance
  13. ball — a great time
  14. stock — shares
  15. squash — to crush
  16. kick — in football
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. rush — hurry
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. squash — the sport
  22. staff — employees
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. stock — goods

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