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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 · chip · suit · wave · race · court · bank · season

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. bank — for money
  4. court — of a king
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. suit — to fit
  7. race — a contest
  8. season — in sport
  9. bank — for money
  10. race — the arms race
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. race — humankind
  13. court — for sport
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. season — of the year
  16. chip — for betting
  17. suit — clothes
  18. stand — to bear
  19. suit — in cards
  20. bank — of a river
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. court — of law
  24. chip — to eat

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