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

Word bank: deal · race · bowl · stem · pit · chip

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. stem — to come from
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. race — the arms race
  8. deal — to handle
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. race — a contest
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. pit — a hole
  16. race — humankind
  17. pit — in a race
  18. chip — for betting

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