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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. object — an aim
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. ground — the earth
  7. prune — to trim
  8. chip — to eat
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. ground — crushed
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. chip — for betting
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. object — a thing
  15. rash — hasty
  16. ground — a position
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. stem — to come from
  19. roll — a list
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. object — to protest
  22. prune — to trim
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. rash — a series

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