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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 · board · pop · file · cap · chip · object · chest

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. cap — of ice
  3. pop — soda
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. chest — a box
  6. cap — a lid
  7. chest — of your body
  8. chip — to eat
  9. object — a thing
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. pop — music
  13. file — a tool
  14. board — to get on
  15. pop — to visit
  16. file — a document
  17. chip — for betting
  18. object — to protest
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. stand — to bear
  21. chest — of your body
  22. board — a committee
  23. file — a line of people
  24. cap — a hat

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