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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  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 — a stem cell
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. chip — to eat
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. bank — for money
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. bank — of a river
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. chip — for betting
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. stem — to come from
  13. bass — low music
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bank — for money
  16. court — of law
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. bass — the fish
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. court — for sport
  23. court — of a king
  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