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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. clip — for paper
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. bass — the fish
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. suit — in cards
  11. clip — to cut
  12. stem — to come from
  13. suit — to fit
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. bass — low music
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. suit — clothes
  18. clip — a video
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. chip — for betting
  21. saw — the tool
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. saw — the tool
  24. chip — to eat

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