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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 · board · chip · mate · firm · cap · spring · ruler

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. stand — to bear
  3. board — a committee
  4. spring — of water
  5. chip — to eat
  6. board — to get on
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. cap — a lid
  9. cap — a hat
  10. firm — steady
  11. firm — a company
  12. mate — a friend
  13. spring — the season
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. cap — of ice
  16. mate — a partner
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. chip — for betting
  20. firm — decided
  21. spring — a coil
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. mate — to breed

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