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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  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. roll — on a roll
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. roll — a cake
  6. bass — the fish
  7. stem — to come from
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. key — in music
  10. bass — low music
  11. chip — to eat
  12. roll — a list
  13. pitch — completely
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. key — for a lock
  16. chip — for betting
  17. wound — an injury
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. wound — an injury
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. key — the most important part
  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