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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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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 · stick · fork · pass · band · chip · clip · present

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. chip — for betting
  3. clip — a video
  4. present — the time now
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. chip — to eat
  7. present — a gift
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. band — a ring
  10. fork — in a road
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. present — there
  17. band — a music group
  18. pass — a permit
  19. clip — for paper
  20. clip — to cut
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. stand — to bear
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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