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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. chip — to eat
  4. rest — what's left
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. chip — for betting
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. mark — a grade
  9. mark — a trace
  10. stem — to come from
  11. rest — a break
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. rule — government
  20. track — a song
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. track — to keep track
  23. rule — a law
  24. track — a path

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