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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. content — the amount
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. squash — the sport
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. scale — size or range
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. chip — for betting
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. chip — to eat
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. bore — to drill
  16. lean — thin
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. content — happy
  19. bore — to tire
  20. squash — to crush
  21. stem — to come from
  22. scale — in music
  23. lean — to bend
  24. pitcher — a jug

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