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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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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. face — part of the head
  3. chip — to eat
  4. face — to confront
  5. bore — to drill
  6. face — to point toward
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. stock — shares
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. stock — goods
  16. band — a music group
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. stem — to come from
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. band — a ring
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. bore — to tire

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