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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 potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  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. chip — to eat
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. bear — the animal
  6. stem — to come from
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. chip — for betting
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. bear — the animal
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. pitch — completely
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. kick — in football
  23. lie — to recline
  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