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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  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. pit — in a race
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. object — a thing
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. chair — a leader
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. chip — to eat
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. object — to protest
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. chip — for betting
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. pit — a hole
  22. stem — to come from
  23. object — an aim
  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