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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. band — a ring
  3. club — for golf
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. dip — to sink
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. chip — for betting
  11. band — a music group
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. pass — a permit
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. stem — to come from
  18. club — a group
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. chip — to eat
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. club — for dancing

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