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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: stand · mouse · chip · spring · hand · calf · stem · bass

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. bass — low music
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. stand — to bear
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. hand — help
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. stem — to come from
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. spring — the season
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. spring — a coil
  18. bass — the fish
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. chip — to eat
  22. spring — of water
  23. hand — in cards
  24. hand — part of the body

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