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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: chip · bay · stand · rash · stem · foot · sharp · kick

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. stand — to bear
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. rash — a series
  6. stem — to come from
  7. foot — a measure
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. sharp — clever
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. chip — to eat
  16. kick — in football
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. rash — hasty
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. chip — for betting
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. stem — of a plant

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