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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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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: bank · chip · foot · bore · stand · degree · firm · lash

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. foot — a measure
  4. chip — to eat
  5. chip — for betting
  6. firm — decided
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. bank — for money
  10. bore — to tire
  11. firm — steady
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. firm — a company
  14. stand — to bear
  15. degree — an amount
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. degree — from a university
  19. bank — of a river
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. bank — for money
  24. bore — to drill

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