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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. rest — what's left
  7. content — the amount
  8. chip — to eat
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. rest — a break
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. rest — what's left
  17. content — happy
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. hand — help
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. chip — for betting
  24. hand — in cards

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