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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. When was this ________________ built?
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. craft — a skill
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. file — a tool
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. bank — for money
  9. file — a line of people
  10. bank — of a river
  11. dip — to sink
  12. bulb — for light
  13. craft — boats
  14. chip — to eat
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. file — a document
  17. stem — to come from
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. bank — for money
  20. chip — for betting
  21. bulb — for light
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. craft — a handicraft

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