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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: pound · chip · stand · staff · season · snap · board · plane

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. staff — employees
  4. stand — to bear
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. staff — employees
  7. plane — a tool
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. chip — to eat
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. pound — a weight
  14. board — to get on
  15. chip — for betting
  16. snap — to click
  17. board — a committee
  18. season — of the year
  19. staff — a stick
  20. season — in sport
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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