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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: tube · pass · chip · lash · stock · mine · cue · stand

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. cue — a signal
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. stock — shares
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. cue — a hint
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. chip — to eat
  11. cue — for pool
  12. chip — for betting
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. stock — goods
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. mine — for digging
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. pass — a permit
  19. tube — the underground
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. tube — a container
  24. stand — to bear

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