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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: straw · pit · toast · drill · charge · chip · coach · stock

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. charge — electricity
  3. chip — to eat
  4. pit — in a race
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. charge — in control
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. toast — bread
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. stock — shares
  14. pit — a hole
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. stock — goods
  17. drill — the tool
  18. charge — a price
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. drill — a practice
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. drill — army training

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