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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pop · stem · bore · club · stand · chip · board · capital

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. chip — to eat
  3. pop — music
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. chip — for betting
  6. stem — to come from
  7. board — a committee
  8. pop — to visit
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. club — for golf
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. capital — a city
  15. pop — soda
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. club — a group
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. club — for dancing
  20. bore — to tire
  21. capital — money
  22. board — to get on
  23. bore — to drill
  24. stem — of a plant

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