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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: stand · pop · firm · chip · row · rule · branch · wave

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. firm — decided
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. row — to paddle
  8. chip — for betting
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. rule — a law
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. rule — government
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. firm — steady
  16. chip — to eat
  17. pop — music
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. firm — a company
  20. branch — a division
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. pop — to visit
  23. stand — to bear
  24. pop — soda

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