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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. clip — for paper
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. chip — for betting
  9. chip — to eat
  10. land — ground
  11. land — a country
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. land — to come down
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. clip — a video
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. stand — to bear
  20. stem — to come from
  21. clip — to cut
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. deal — a big deal

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