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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. mug — a cup
  3. cell — in biology
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. chip — to eat
  8. chip — for betting
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. stem — to come from
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. mug — to rob
  16. deal — to handle
  17. mug — a face
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. cell — a phone
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. rush — hurry
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. nail — on a finger

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