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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. rush — hurry
  3. chip — for betting
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. swing — to play on
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. bound — certain
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bass — low music
  11. suit — in cards
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. chip — to eat
  14. swing — music
  15. suit — to fit
  16. swing — in golf
  17. bound — tied together
  18. suit — clothes
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. stand — to bear
  21. stem — to come from
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. bass — the fish
  24. bass — the instrument

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