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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. stem — to come from
  3. bound — obliged
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. rest — a break
  8. rest — what's left
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. squash — the sport
  11. rest — what's left
  12. key — for a lock
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. key — the most important part
  15. key — in music
  16. chip — for betting
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. chip — to eat
  19. bound — tied together
  20. rash — hasty
  21. squash — to crush
  22. bound — certain
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. rash — a series

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