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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. saw — the tool
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. board — to get on
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. chip — to eat
  9. cell — a phone
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. saw — the tool
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. shower — to wash
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. stem — to come from
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. board — a committee
  22. shower — rain
  23. cell — in biology
  24. cell — in a prison

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