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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: staff · last · mouse · stand · net · key · stem · chip

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. last — to go on
  4. net — after costs
  5. last — final
  6. staff — employees
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. stand — to bear
  9. staff — a stick
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. chip — to eat
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. key — for a lock
  14. key — the most important part
  15. chip — for betting
  16. key — in music
  17. stem — to come from
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. last — finally
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. staff — employees
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. net — in sport

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