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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. chip — for betting
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. pound — a weight
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. prune — to trim
  8. rash — a series
  9. prune — to trim
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. firm — decided
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. rock — a stone
  15. stem — to come from
  16. firm — steady
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. rash — hasty
  21. rock — music
  22. chip — to eat
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. wave — with your hand

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