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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 120 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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. lean — to bend
  3. degree — an amount
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. degree — from a university
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. cue — a hint
  8. degree — temperature
  9. can — a tin
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. firm — a company
  15. can — to be able to
  16. chip — for betting
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. stem — to come from
  19. lean — thin
  20. firm — steady
  21. cue — a signal
  22. chip — to eat
  23. firm — decided
  24. cue — for pool

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