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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. bat — the animal
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. roll — a cake
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. suit — clothes
  10. roll — a list
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. suit — to fit
  15. suit — in cards
  16. stem — to come from
  17. face — to confront
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. face — to point toward
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. chip — to eat
  24. face — part of the head

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