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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. spring — of water
  3. spring — the season
  4. chip — for betting
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. chip — to eat
  7. club — for golf
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. stem — to come from
  10. club — for dancing
  11. craft — a skill
  12. perch — the fish
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. rock — a stone
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. rock — music
  21. craft — boats
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. club — a group
  24. spring — a coil

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