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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 · spell · hand · chip · lean · temple · clip · coach

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. chip — to eat
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. hand — help
  5. spell — letters
  6. spell — magic
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. lean — thin
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. clip — a video
  12. hand — in cards
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. clip — to cut
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. chip — for betting
  19. clip — for paper
  20. stand — to bear
  21. lean — to bend
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. lean — to rest against

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