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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. cue — a hint
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. root — of a plant
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. lean — to bend
  8. root — the cause
  9. staff — employees
  10. lean — thin
  11. staff — employees
  12. cue — a signal
  13. spell — magic
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. staff — a stick
  16. stem — to come from
  17. spell — a short time
  18. root — of a word
  19. chip — to eat
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. wax — to grow
  22. cue — for pool
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. spell — letters

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