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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 116 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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. board — to get on
  5. field — a subject
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. rest — a break
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. chip — for betting
  10. bore — to tire
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. field — farmland
  14. tube — a container
  15. stem — to come from
  16. bore — to drill
  17. chip — to eat
  18. tube — the underground
  19. board — a committee
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. rest — what's left
  22. field — for sport
  23. rest — what's left
  24. tube — in a tire

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