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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 120 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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. chip — for betting
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. can — to be able to
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. can — a tin
  8. row — a line
  9. row — to paddle
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. dip — to sink
  12. can — a tin
  13. chip — to eat
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. pit — a hole
  17. pit — in a race
  18. chip — in a computer

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