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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: wave · chip · game · suit · stand · cell · hand · bear

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. suit — in cards
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. chip — for betting
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. game — a match
  7. bear — the animal
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. hand — help
  10. suit — clothes
  11. chip — to eat
  12. suit — to fit
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. cell — in biology
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. hand — in cards
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. stand — to bear
  20. game — wild animals
  21. bear — the animal
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. cell — a phone
  24. bear — to put up with

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