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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  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 — of a plant
  2. degree — an amount
  3. cap — of ice
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. cap — a hat
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. firm — steady
  10. lean — to bend
  11. cap — a lid
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. degree — from a university
  14. degree — temperature
  15. firm — a company
  16. chip — for betting
  17. lean — thin
  18. plane — a tool
  19. stem — to come from
  20. firm — decided
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. deal — to handle
  23. deal — a big deal
  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