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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. present — the time now
  3. stem — to come from
  4. saw — the tool
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. mug — a cup
  9. mug — a face
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. saw — the tool
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. pit — in a race
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. chip — for betting
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. chip — to eat
  20. present — there
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. present — a gift
  23. pit — a hole
  24. bowl — a football final

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