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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: stock · stand · clip · roll · lash · stem · season · chip

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. clip — for paper
  3. season — in sport
  4. stock — shares
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. clip — to cut
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. season — of the year
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. chip — to eat
  15. roll — a cake
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. stand — to bear
  18. chip — for betting
  19. roll — a list
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. stock — goods
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. stem — to come from
  24. clip — a video

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