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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: pit · bound · stand · mine · tube · rock · chip · plane

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. pit — a hole
  3. rock — a stone
  4. bound — tied together
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. bound — certain
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. chip — to eat
  10. chip — for betting
  11. plane — a tool
  12. mine — for digging
  13. bound — obliged
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. tube — the underground
  18. pit — in a race
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. tube — a container
  23. stand — to bear
  24. rock — music

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