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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. file — a tool
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. chip — for betting
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. net — in sport
  7. foot — a measure
  8. net — after costs
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. chip — to eat
  13. mate — a partner
  14. stem — to come from
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. net — for catching
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. file — a document
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. mate — a friend
  23. mate — to breed
  24. file — a line of people

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