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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: chip · pass · lean · mark · band · rock · stem · cabinet

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. mark — a grade
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. chip — for betting
  5. stem — to come from
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. pass — a permit
  9. rock — a stone
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. lean — to bend
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. rock — music
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. band — a music group
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. lean — thin
  22. mark — a trace
  23. chip — to eat
  24. band — a ring

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