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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 · season · ruler · tube · board · pound · straw · stem

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. board — a committee
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. tube — a container
  6. pound — a weight
  7. stem — to come from
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. chip — for betting
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. season — of the year
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. chip — to eat
  18. board — to get on
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. tube — the underground

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