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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.

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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: stand · bay · key · fine · fall · chip · last · bowl

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. fall — to drop
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. last — final
  9. key — for a lock
  10. chip — to eat
  11. stand — to bear
  12. last — to go on
  13. key — the most important part
  14. fall — to drop
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. fall — the season
  18. fine — high quality
  19. fine — all right
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. last — finally
  22. key — in music
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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