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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: stock · pop · kid · toast · rest · chip · nail · board

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. kid — child
  3. kid — to tease
  4. chip — to eat
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. pop — soda
  12. stock — shares
  13. rest — what's left
  14. toast — bread
  15. pop — music
  16. board — to get on
  17. board — a committee
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. stock — goods
  20. pop — to visit
  21. chip — for betting
  22. rest — what's left
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. rest — a break

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