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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  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. dip — to sink
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. stem — to come from
  7. chip — to eat
  8. chip — for betting
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. spring — of water
  11. spring — a coil
  12. pit — in a race
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. staff — a stick
  16. staff — employees
  17. staff — employees
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. spring — the season
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. pit — a hole
  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