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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: coach · deal · pass · chip · bound · stand · stem · ground

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  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. coach — pulled by horses
  2. pass — a permit
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. stem — to come from
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. ground — crushed
  8. ground — a position
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. chip — to eat
  13. stand — to bear
  14. bound — certain
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. deal — to handle
  18. ground — the earth
  19. bound — obliged
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. chip — for betting
  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