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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. stem — to come from
  3. chip — for betting
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. capital — money
  11. chair — a leader
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. pit — in a race
  14. pit — a hole
  15. suit — in cards
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. suit — to fit
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. date — the fruit
  21. capital — a city
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. chip — to eat

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