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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. mate — to breed
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. chip — for betting
  7. staff — a stick
  8. rash — a series
  9. stem — to come from
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — a tin
  13. staff — employees
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. chip — to eat
  17. rash — hasty
  18. mate — a friend
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. mate — a partner
  23. staff — employees
  24. chip — in a computer

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