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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. scale — in music
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. current — electric
  5. scale — size or range
  6. chip — for betting
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. fine — all right
  10. fine — high quality
  11. current — happening now
  12. sharp — clever
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. current — of water
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. stem — to come from
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. chip — to eat
  24. snap — to click

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