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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. dip — to sink
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. stem — to come from
  5. ball — a dance
  6. chip — for betting
  7. ball — a great time
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. vault — a safe
  14. saw — the tool
  15. court — of law
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. court — for sport
  19. court — of a king
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. saw — the tool
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. chip — to eat

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