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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 120 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: pass · field · stem · capital · firm · stand · hide · chip

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  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. field — for sport
  2. field — a subject
  3. chip — for betting
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. capital — money
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. firm — steady
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. pass — a permit
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. stand — to bear
  16. firm — decided
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. firm — a company
  20. capital — a city
  21. stem — to come from
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. field — farmland
  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