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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. bore — to drill
  3. cell — in biology
  4. cell — a phone
  5. can — to be able to
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. ball — a great time
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. can — a tin
  10. track — a path
  11. stem — to come from
  12. chip — to eat
  13. ball — a dance
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. rash — a series
  16. rash — hasty
  17. bore — to tire
  18. track — a song
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. chip — for betting
  22. can — a tin
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. track — to keep track

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