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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 · pit · rush · stock · wave · current · chip · hide

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. rush — hurry
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. chip — for betting
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. current — of water
  8. bear — the animal
  9. stock — shares
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. current — happening now
  12. stock — goods
  13. current — electric
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. chip — to eat
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. pit — in a race
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. bear — the animal
  23. pit — a hole
  24. hide — animal skin

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