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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. chip — for betting
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. chip — to eat
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. stem — to come from
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. fine — all right
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. net — for catching
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. bass — low music
  17. net — in sport
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. net — after costs
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. fine — high quality
  24. bass — the fish

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