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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 116 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: pop · stand · sharp · straw · chip · tube · ground · firm

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. ground — a position
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. stand — to bear
  5. firm — decided
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. tube — a container
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. pop — music
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. firm — steady
  15. sharp — clever
  16. chip — for betting
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. chip — to eat
  19. ground — crushed
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. ground — the earth
  22. pop — soda
  23. tube — the underground
  24. firm — a company

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