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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: band · stem · bay · jam · chip · plane · mouse · stand

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. chip — for betting
  4. chip — to eat
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. band — a music group
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. stem — to come from
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. plane — a tool
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. band — a ring
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. plane — in geometry

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