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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. rest — what's left
  4. tube — the underground
  5. rest — what's left
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. chip — to eat
  10. bulb — for light
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. rest — a break
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. bulb — for light
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. chip — for betting
  22. stem — to come from
  23. tube — a container
  24. cabinet — ministers

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