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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: kick · rule · stand · rush · field · pass · bank · chip

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. stand — to bear
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. kick — in football
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. rush — hurry
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. bank — of a river
  10. field — farmland
  11. rule — government
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. bank — for money
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. rule — a law
  17. chip — to eat
  18. pass — a permit
  19. field — a subject
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. field — for sport
  23. chip — for betting
  24. bank — for money

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