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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. snap — to click
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. mate — to breed
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. stem — to come from
  10. chip — for betting
  11. scale — in music
  12. chip — to eat
  13. bank — of a river
  14. mate — a partner
  15. bank — for money
  16. mate — a friend
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. scale — size or range
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. bank — for money
  22. bass — low music
  23. bass — the fish
  24. leaves — lets stay

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