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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: bear · leaves · last · chip · stock · mate · suit · tube

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. mate — a friend
  3. last — finally
  4. last — final
  5. stock — shares
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. chip — for betting
  8. tube — a container
  9. bear — the animal
  10. mate — to breed
  11. chip — to eat
  12. last — to go on
  13. bear — the animal
  14. mate — a partner
  15. stock — goods
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. suit — clothes
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. suit — to fit
  23. tube — the underground
  24. chip — in a computer

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