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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: wave · spring · cap · can · chip · chair · stand · spell

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. spring — of water
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. chip — for betting
  5. can — to be able to
  6. cap — a lid
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. can — a tin
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. can — a tin
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. spell — a short time
  15. cap — of ice
  16. cap — a hat
  17. spring — a coil
  18. stand — to bear
  19. chair — a leader
  20. spell — magic
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. spell — letters
  24. 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