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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. chip — to eat
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. drill — army training
  5. drill — a practice
  6. club — for golf
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. sharp — clever
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. stem — to come from
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. drill — the tool
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. press — to push
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. vault — a safe
  18. press — a publisher
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. club — a group
  21. chip — for betting
  22. press — newspapers
  23. club — for dancing
  24. chip — in a computer

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