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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 116 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 · degree · plane · coach · stick · chip · wave · trunk

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. chip — for betting
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. chip — to eat
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. plane — a tool
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. degree — from a university
  19. degree — an amount
  20. degree — temperature
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. stand — to bear
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. plane — in geometry

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