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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. stem — to come from
  3. chip — for betting
  4. clip — for paper
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. board — to get on
  7. clip — a video
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. chip — to eat
  11. clip — to cut
  12. sharp — clever
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. board — a committee
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. patient — a sick person

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