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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. 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. stem — a stem cell
  2. file — a tool
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. file — a line of people
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. can — a tin
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — to be able to
  13. chip — to eat
  14. file — a document
  15. stem — to come from
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. chip — for betting
  18. 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