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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  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. stem — of a plant
  2. shower — to wash
  3. file — a tool
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. file — a line of people
  6. rest — what's left
  7. saw — the tool
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. craft — boats
  11. rest — a break
  12. chip — for betting
  13. shower — rain
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. rest — what's left
  17. file — a document
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. craft — a skill
  23. stem — to come from
  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