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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: can · stand · chip · kick · firm · mark · wound · ruler

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. firm — steady
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. can — a tin
  6. wound — an injury
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. chip — for betting
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. chip — to eat
  11. firm — a company
  12. firm — decided
  13. stand — to bear
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. wound — an injury
  19. can — to be able to
  20. can — a tin
  21. mark — a grade
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. kick — in football
  24. mark — a trace

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