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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: band · current · chip · can · stock · row · tube · bore

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  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. stock — shares
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. current — happening now
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. band — a music group
  6. row — to paddle
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. chip — to eat
  9. can — a tin
  10. chip — for betting
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. current — of water
  14. band — a ring
  15. row — a line
  16. tube — the underground
  17. bore — to tire
  18. can — a tin
  19. stock — goods
  20. current — electric
  21. tube — a container
  22. can — to be able to
  23. bore — to drill
  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