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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 124 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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  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. chip — in a computer
  2. court — of a king
  3. stem — to come from
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. rock — a stone
  6. ground — a position
  7. chip — to eat
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. ground — crushed
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. court — for sport
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. bore — to tire
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. court — of law
  18. chip — for betting
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. rock — music
  22. bore — to drill
  23. ground — the earth
  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