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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 120 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 fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. chip — to eat
  3. spell — magic
  4. net — in sport
  5. net — after costs
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. bass — low music
  8. spell — letters
  9. cue — a hint
  10. suit — to fit
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. suit — in cards
  13. stem — to come from
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. net — for catching
  17. chip — for betting
  18. suit — clothes
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. spell — a short time
  21. cue — a signal
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. cue — for pool
  24. trunk — of a tree

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