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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: can · fine · drill · patient · stock · chip · arm · dip

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. dip — to sink
  3. drill — a practice
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. drill — army training
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. can — a tin
  12. drill — the tool
  13. fine — all right
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. stock — goods
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. chip — for betting
  19. stock — shares
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. fine — high quality
  23. chip — to eat
  24. can — a tin

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