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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. 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. rash — on the skin
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. chip — for betting
  4. squash — to crush
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. capital — money
  7. rash — a series
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. capital — a city
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. rash — hasty
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. chip — to eat
  19. plane — a tool
  20. stem — to come from
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. squash — the sport
  24. 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