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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. chip — to eat
  4. rest — what's left
  5. stem — to come from
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. game — a match
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. rest — what's left
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. rest — a break
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. chip — for betting
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. game — wild animals
  18. pass — a permit

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