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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. wind — moving air
  4. mug — a face
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. foot — a measure
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. stem — to come from
  11. chip — to eat
  12. wind — moving air
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. mug — a cup
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. mug — to rob
  17. tube — a container
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. chip — for betting
  24. tube — the underground

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