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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. chip — for betting
  3. rule — a law
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. foot — a measure
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. prune — to trim
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. bat — the animal
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. prune — to trim
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. stem — to come from
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. rule — government
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. chip — to eat

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