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

Word bank: stand · stem · clip · chip · race · wave

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. clip — for paper
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. clip — a video
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. stand — to bear
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. race — the arms race
  13. race — a contest
  14. stem — to come from
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. clip — to cut
  17. race — humankind
  18. chip — to eat

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