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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: stand · leaves · bass · mate · chip · staff · net · last

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. chip — to eat
  3. bass — the fish
  4. net — after costs
  5. mate — a friend
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. bass — low music
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. last — finally
  10. staff — a stick
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. net — in sport
  13. mate — to breed
  14. net — for catching
  15. chip — for betting
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. mate — a partner
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. staff — employees
  20. stand — to bear
  21. staff — employees
  22. last — to go on
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. last — final

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