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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: chip · cell · bulb · board · stem · press

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — for light
  3. press — to push
  4. chip — for betting
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. cell — a phone
  7. chip — to eat
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. press — newspapers
  10. board — to get on
  11. stem — to come from
  12. board — a committee
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. cell — in biology
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. press — a publisher

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