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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. chip — to eat
  5. chair — a leader
  6. chip — for betting
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. stock — goods
  11. plane — a tool
  12. bulb — for light
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. stock — shares
  15. mark — a trace
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. stem — to come from
  23. bulb — for light
  24. mark — a grade

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