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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. current — electric
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. chip — for betting
  9. stem — to come from
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. ball — a great time
  12. branch — a division
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. current — of water
  15. ball — a dance
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. chip — to eat
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. current — happening now
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. mine — for digging

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