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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: stem · race · chip · rock · toast · chair

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. chip — to eat
  6. rock — music
  7. rock — a stone
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. race — humankind
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. race — the arms race
  14. toast — bread
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. stem — to come from
  17. chair — a leader
  18. race — a contest

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