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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. bank — of a river
  6. chip — for betting
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. chip — to eat
  9. board — to get on
  10. bank — for money
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. board — a committee
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. bank — for money
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. foot — a measure
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. mine — for digging
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. stem — of a plant

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