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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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. chip — for betting
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. suit — clothes
  7. stem — to come from
  8. pop — music
  9. clip — to cut
  10. lean — to bend
  11. clip — a video
  12. land — ground
  13. pop — soda
  14. land — to come down
  15. bank — of a river
  16. land — a country
  17. suit — in cards
  18. bank — for money
  19. chip — to eat
  20. lean — thin
  21. suit — to fit
  22. pop — to visit
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. bank — for money

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