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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: rest · fall · stand · chip · mark · coach · deal · spell

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. fall — to drop
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. deal — to handle
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. rest — a break
  9. spell — letters
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. mark — a trace
  12. fall — to drop
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. mark — a grade
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. spell — a short time
  18. rest — what's left
  19. spell — magic
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. fall — the season
  22. chip — for betting
  23. rest — what's left
  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