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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: can · kick · stem · rush · roll · firm · chip · bound

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. chip — for betting
  3. can — a tin
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. chip — to eat
  7. can — a tin
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. kick — in football
  11. firm — a company
  12. roll — a cake
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. firm — decided
  15. rush — hurry
  16. stem — to come from
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. firm — steady
  19. roll — a list
  20. bound — obliged
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. can — to be able to
  24. bound — tied together

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