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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. staff — a stick
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. staff — employees
  6. staff — employees
  7. chip — for betting
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. pit — a hole
  13. suit — in cards
  14. dip — to sink
  15. pit — in a race
  16. bat — the animal
  17. suit — clothes
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. suit — to fit
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. stem — to come from

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