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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: leaves · kick · stem · rash · chip · firm · arm · pound

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. firm — steady
  4. chip — to eat
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. firm — a company
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. pound — a weight
  11. rash — a series
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. chip — for betting
  14. rash — hasty
  15. kick — in football
  16. stem — to come from
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. firm — decided
  24. stem — a stem cell

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