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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 120 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: chip · suit · bore · cabinet · bear · wave · leaves · stock

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. suit — to fit
  3. chip — for betting
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. stock — shares
  10. chip — to eat
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. bore — to tire
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. suit — in cards
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. stock — goods
  23. bear — the animal
  24. suit — clothes

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