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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. stem — to come from
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. chip — to eat
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. spell — magic
  14. spell — a short time
  15. tube — a container
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. tube — the underground
  19. stock — goods
  20. snap — to click
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. spell — letters
  24. stock — shares

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