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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: dip · pass · march · wind · staff · bore · stand · chip

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. bore — to tire
  5. wind — moving air
  6. dip — to sink
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. march — the month
  9. staff — employees
  10. pass — a permit
  11. stand — to bear
  12. march — the month
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. staff — employees
  16. wind — moving air
  17. march — music
  18. staff — a stick
  19. bore — to drill
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. chip — for betting
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. chip — to eat

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