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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: wave · chair · calf · charge · stock · stem · chip · stand

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. charge — a price
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. stock — shares
  8. chip — for betting
  9. stand — to bear
  10. chip — to eat
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. charge — in control
  14. chair — a leader
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. charge — electricity
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. stem — to come from
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. stock — goods
  24. chair — a professorship

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