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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. net — for catching
  3. net — after costs
  4. mate — to breed
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. stem — to come from
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. rest — a break
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. chip — to eat
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. net — in sport
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. mate — a friend
  18. stand — to bear
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. rush — hurry
  21. mate — a partner
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. rest — what's left
  24. stem — a stem cell

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